Desperate Measures
by Joker is Poker with a J
Summary: "The one who resists love the most, falls the hardest." Blink's had an eye on the lovely Katherine since the moment he met her. However, she's never made things easy on him. Especially not after they get kidnapped by an angry gang leader whose daughter has run off with Katherine's brother. Third in the Benjamin Hotel Series. Complete.
1. By Now

Prologue

" _If I could say what you'd like to hear, I'd whisper in your ear it's only temporary…_ _But I've been taking you for granted."_

-By Now, Marianas Trench

 _ **August 11th, 1907**_

She was gone.

The coldness that had been present before she'd entered his life was slowly creeping back through the small apartment. Funny how you didn't realize how cold you were until someone warmed your heart-only to leave you without warning. Now, he was distinctly aware of the emptiness around him, encasing his form and sliding into his veins as the reality of his current situation hit him. _She was gone_.

It was as though the time they were together had been no more than a dream he was awaking from, surprised by how real it had been and mourning the fragmented memories that were, already, beginning to fade away. The utter despair he suddenly felt, the confused horror of his questioning why, _why would she leave me_ resounded through his soul as he desperately searched through the apartment for any sign. Anything she might have left behind to give him hope that maybe she'd be back.

As he searched a third time and then a fourth, he found himself slowly facing the reality that not a hair of her was left.

She wasn't planning on coming back.

Shutting his eyes, he pushed away the sudden feeling of abandonment and tried to accept the fact that, now at least, he was good and truly alone; as he was surely always meant to be. Carlos Fuentes had finally met his match and, just like everything else, he'd completely wrecked it. Instead of getting paid to find people, he should be paid to destroy everything. That was all you could count on him for.

And the worse thing was that he _knew_ exactly what he'd done; even as he tried to deny it. Carlos could kick and whine and ask, "What have I done? Why would she do this?" But, deep in his frigid soul, he knew exactly what he'd done to make her leave. Their last argument was still embedded in his mind, the image of her face when he told her things he'd been keeping from her surfaced in his mind's eye and he felt sick with self-hatred. He had finally told her the truth-about everything-and it hadn't even been because he felt guilty. It was because he was a sick, twisted individual who wanted to hurt her, to push her, and see how far he could until she was gone.

Well, he'd gotten his answer.

There was not a scrap of cloth for him to mourn over and all he had left now was the memories of her face. A vision of her laughing, her jade green eyes lit up from that unknown source of happiness that seemed to be infinite. She was a creature of laughter, of sun, and joy.

Suddenly, taking him by surprise, he felt anger claw its way into his heart and he found himself pulling back his fist to sink into the closest wall. The pain that immediately began to throb in his hand and shoot up his arm assured him that this was reality. That he was the reason that she was gone and the physical pain was so much easier to bear than the terrible ache that had developed in his chest.

He let out a strangled yell, partly her name and part animalistic growl before he let himself slide down the broken wall until he was on the floor of his apartment. The anger was gone as fast as it had come and all that was left in its place was bitterness. Resentment towards her for leaving but even that was small compared to the amount of self-hate that burned through every cell in his body.

What the fuck had he done?

As he lay there, he thought through their entire relationship and he winced at every mistake he'd made. His time spent working when he could have been here, with her. How often had she sat in this apartment, feeling every bit alone as he did now?

But he would never have abandoned her; would have never voluntarily left her like she had done today. If there was one thing she could have counted on, it was always that. Why didn't she know?

The question now, he realized as the sun set and the night began to descend, was should he go after her? Get her back at all costs? Was that even possible? He didn't know if she could forgive him, didn't know if he was worthy of forgiveness. Carlos had never been forgiven before. The innocent life he'd taken, the numerous people that had died indirectly because of him…he was truly a monster in his own right.

Perhaps that was part of the reason she'd left, the reason he'd always assumed would drive her away. Where she was pure light, Carlos was tainted. For so long he'd trounced around between the thugs and the gangs, the rapists and murderers that hid in the darkest corners of New York's night world. Long ago he'd lost whatever compassion for others he might have had and she must have just realized what a terrible human being she had tied herself to. How disgusted she must be, how absolutely horrified to realize she'd let a monster touch her.

Even as he thought these things, he was building up a mental list of places to look for her, contacts he could use to find out where she'd gone and even the tiniest list that consisted of people she knew here in New York. All the while he thought of how completely she must hate herself for trusting a creature such as him, he comprised every possible way to bring her back.

He was a monster, wasn't he? When the fairy tale princess was saved from the dragons and villains to live happily ever after with her prince, you never heard of the monster coming back; there were never stories of the villains winning. But, he'd be damned if he gave up on her like she gave up on them. This villain was going after the princess, was going to attempt to win back her heart and if everything worked, perhaps his humanity. Carlos was going to be selfish. He was the best damn skip tracer in New York, could find a needle in the haystack in no time at all, and he wasn't about to let the one woman in the world who had ever made him feel like he was worth anything get away. He could, and would, fight for her.

He just hoped she secretly wanted him to fight because honestly, he was terrified of what he would become if he failed to bring his heart home. 

**A/N: I'm so excited to be back in the Benjamin Hotel world I've created and so excited to continue on with these characters! I hope I do them justice, and I hope you all enjoy this. There will definitely be all the familiar face and some new ones. We'll be picking up right where we left off of When it Comes to Love, so if you're new I highly suggest going back to read All In and then When it Comes to Love!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	2. Astoria

Chapter One

" _On a good day I'm the bad news for the wrong girl with the right wounds."_

-Astoria, Marianas Trench

 _ **August 9**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

Blink found himself leaning against the side of the Renwick's large home, in the sort of in-between space between it and the house next door. Carefully, he tucked himself out of sight of the garden full of guests as he dealt with the news Mush had just dealt him.

Mush was going to be a father. Technically, he was already of father but still. Jack was a father, too, and Race was married, now. Dave was the youngest hotelier in the history of New York. All of his friends were growing up, moving on…

Frustrated, Blink ran his hand through his hair again, ignoring the small stab of guilt because he hadn't congratulated Mush and had just run out of the wedding before the bride and groom even got there. But, he needed air, needed space. Needed a chance to collect himself as he felt his anxiety sky rocket. It was something he never let the other's see; how he sometimes was overwhelmed to the point where he could barely breathe. Closing his eyes, he tried to control his breathing but for once that wasn't enough.

"Down by the murmuring stream," He began to sing softly, trying to make his breathing soften and flow with the words of the song his father used to sing to him when he was a child, "that merrily winds through the valley, I wandered in days that are gone…with the joy of my heart, gentle Allie."

He choked on the name, but pushed onwards with the song, "When dreaming of childhood's blessed scenes, One gentle form haunts me forev-"

"Are you alright?" The soft voice pulled him from his singing and he jerked his head off the wall of the house to see who had found him.

Every time he laid eyes on Katherine Finnegan, his breath caught just like the first time he'd seen her. He wasn't sure why, had never been like this for any other dollface who'd entered his life-and there had been a fair amount. But, something about her that he couldn't yet pinpoint made his heart quicken and his palms sweat. "Yeah, I'll be awright." He replied, his brain always half dead as he stared stupidly at her.

The bridesmaid gown looked stunning on her, the deep emerald green looked beautiful against her light complexion and her dark eyes seemed to reflect the green to the point it made them look more hazel than brown. Bashfully, she wrung her hands and nodded at him, "Good." She bit her lip in a very becoming manner, Blink thought, as she started to leave and then turned back around to him, "What song were you singing?"

"She waits by the River for Me." He replied, instantly, curious as to why she had followed him back here. "Are you awright?" He found himself asking, wondering if she needed someone to talk to before he realized he never care before if a woman needed someone to listen to them.

A touch of surprise flitted across her features before she gave him an abashed smile, "Yes…and no." Slowly, she moved closer until she was beside him and then leaned against the house, mirroring him. Sighing, she continued, "I just want this whole engagement and wedding thing to be done with already."

Blink found his anxiety had calmed down as he scrutinized her face, "Me too. Race wouldn't stop tawkin' about it."

"Clara, too. Everything was wedding this or flowers that. Ugh." Katherine's head ducked down and the curtain of her dark, mahogany hair fell across her shoulder to hide her face.

He felt like there was more to it than that, though, and without looking too deeply into why he even cared, he once again asked a question that surprised him, "What else is buggin' ya?"

Katherine lifted her head up to peek at him through her hair and Blink thought briefly that it was the cutest thing anyone had ever done in the history of ever. But, her next words floored him, "The last time Clara was engaged, her fiancé cornered me and tried to force himself on me."

Dumbfounded and mouth falling open, Blink stared at her as a white, hot fury slid through his entire body. He was no gentleman when it came to women but at least he had never forced himself on a woman. He would only take to bed the willing ones and if they thought he'd stick around, that was their fault. Blink never made any of them promises, knew he wouldn't keep them so why bother?

At his silence, she turned to lean her shoulder on the wall and face him, her head cocked to the side, "You seem surprised. Don't worry, no one really knows what to say to me. Clara caught us before anything damaging could be done but hasn't really talked to me about it since."

He had the sudden urge to comfort her, to pull her in his arms and murmur soft words. But, he had never comforted a woman and she had made it abundantly clear many times that she wanted nothing from him. So, why were they even talking? They hadn't shared more than the occasional insult (her) or innuendo (him) since they met a year and a half ago. He opened his mouth to finally reply when her eyes caught something behind him and she gasped, "Blink!"

Turning, he managed at the last second to dodge the club that was coming down towards his head, and following his instinct he found himself tackling the man trying to bludgeon his brains out. "Katy, get away!" He yelled to her, pulling his fist back to land a good blow on the stranger's face.

Her shriek caused him to take his attention from the guy under him to glance back as another beefy guy wrapped his arms around her and began dragging her in the direction of the street. He felt himself let out a growl of anger before sprinting after the man who had her.

Seeing Blink coming towards him, the man shoved her to the side and ducked Blink's punch in order to lunge at his waist. "Ouah beef ain't with you, buddy." The man grunted, as Blink rolled the guy off him and stood to face him.

Blink shrugged, "I ain't lettin' ya take her without a fight." The first man that had attacked had gotten up and the two were beginning to circle Blink as he rolled up his sleeves, "Bring it, poncey fucks."

Just as one of them moved to strike, a blur of green caught Blink's attention and he realized it was Katherine as she jumped on the back of the second guy and started pounding on the guy's head with her fists. Blink found himself smiling as he blocked the first guy and returned with an uppercut. Just as it seemed they might win this, the stranger threw Katherine from his back and as she tumbled down, her head hit the ground hard and she lay prone on the ground.

Furious, Blink charged at the man, but that gave the other guy a second to retrieve his club from where it had been on the ground. As Blink traded fists with the other guy, he missed the club being raised above his head and as it came crashing down, he heard Katherine weakly say his name. He began to fall, blackness swarming his mind as a third guy exited a carriage parked along the street and picked up Katherine.

* * *

" _You came along, all dressed up in bad news (I know you've been hurt, too), his would be the wrong move."_

Astoria, Marianas Trench

Gently, Katherine settled Blink's head in her lap, lightly brushing the blonde hair back from his face as she gazed around their dismal surroundings. She had awoke not long ago and could see through the small window towards the top of the cell-like room that it was dark. The wedding would be all but over, Race and Clara riding off into the sunset as she sat here. At least, she mused, glancing down at the man whose head rested in her lap, she wasn't alone.

Although, given the man in question, maybe it would have been better to have no one at all. She felt a smirk pull up the corner of her mouth as she thought that. Stuck in a cell with her mortal enemy…well, not quite her enemy. He did grate on her nerves, and his cockiness, blonde hair and blue eyes had a way of reminding her of Clara's ex-fiancé, Henry. Except, where Henry had been upperclass refinement, Blink was working class and had a much more masculine appeal. His features were harder, and frankly, much more attractive than Henry had ever been.

Shaking her head to dispel those thoughts, she felt herself glaring down at him, "I am not attracted to you." She muttered in the dark, even as memories of him fighting those awful men for her came to mind. Her determination to keep from liking him dwindled a bit-a problem that she had been having even before the goons attacked.

Finding him singing softly to himself to control his panic at the news of his friend being a father had definitely been a blow to her will. She could relate to the anxiety that he felt, had found herself battling the same problem for quite a few years since Henry had attacked her.

But, she had never thought the strong, proud man she continually ran into would suffer from something such as panic attacks. Seeing him vulnerable like that…

 _No. He's bad news_. A little voice whispered in her head. Katherine appreciated the voice, it often helped ground her.

A pound on the door had her almost jumping out of her skin as she looked up. A man peeked in from the little slot on the door and he briefly grinned, "G'evenin', dollface." He spoke into the room, not trying to keep his voice down. "Glad ta see ya conscious." He peered down at the unconscious man in her lap and said "Ise'll be back when he wakes."

The slot was slammed shut and Katherine stared down at the blonde man for a moment, wondering if all the noise would wake him up.

He continued to sleep, his eyes moving underneath his lids and she found herself sighing. Once again, she brushed her fingers through his soft, wheat colored hair and prayed that he would be okay. He had, after all, attempted to protect her. The least she could do was protect him in here until he awakened.

 **A/N: Yay! Chapter one! Review please!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	3. Haven't Had Enough

Chapter Two

" _Well I just wish we could go back one more time and begin it, back before I lost myself somewhere, somewhere in it."_

Haven't Had Enough, Marianas Trench

 _ **August 10th, 1907**_

Blink woke with a blinding headache that kept him from opening his eyes as he adjusted to consciousness. It was worse than any hangover he could remember. But, when he slowly opened his eyes, he knew he was truly blessed for two reasons. First, it was dark. The only light that pierced the darkness was the soft moonlight pouring in from a window somewhere above him. Secondly, and far more importantly, the moonlight was enough for him to see the warm, concerned eyes of the woman whose face hovered above his own.

"Why, hello there." He found himself saying, his mouth quirking up in his best lady-killer smile. He had been perfecting it for years.

Katherine's face fell almost instantly, and the familiar look of irritation she usually fronted for him alone was back in place; as if their chat earlier was forgotten, and as if he didn't try to rescue her from two thugs. "You're really something." She muttered, pushing his head off her lap and he rolled with it to sit up and collect himself.

"Hey, didn't I almost rescue ya? Where's the thanks for that?" He said, analyzing the small room they were in. Hay was strewn across the majority of the floor, the door was large, imposing, and-he guessed-locked.

"Almost doesn't count for much, does it?" She shot back, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them.

He felt himself shrugging at that, no reply coming to mind. He both hated and liked that about her. "So, do we know where we are? Who took us?" He finally asked, his mind immediately going to how best to get out of here. If there was one thing Blink did not like, it was feeling trapped. He could feel the onset of a panic attack as he forced himself to stand and reach for the barred window. But, it was about a foot out of his reach. He could boost her up, but if those bars didn't budge, neither would they.

Her sigh brought his attention away briefly, but he listened as he leaned against the wall and tried to even his breathing, hoping she wasn't paying too close attention to him, "I'm not sure. My brother, probably. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Blink snorted at that, "As I recall, you were the one ta follah me." The temptation to bait her was always too much for him to fight against. It helped, too, that doing so kept his mind off the increasingly small space he was stuck in.

"A moment of weakness." She simpered, causing his curiosity to grow.

He remembered so vividly the first time he'd met her, when she had walked into the Benjamin, her eyes searching a brief second before landing on Racetrack. Her beauty had been unmatched, her dark eyes and hair such a startling contrast from her creamy, light skin. Those weren't the only contradictions about her, either, because he remembered how sweetly she had smiled at Race, how she looked soft and yet, the moment she met his eyes she had seemed to freeze up, becoming cold and hard. _"I'm leaving."_ She had said when he had introduced himself to her.

Blink found himself smirking, as he remembered their meeting again at Clara and Race's engagement party a few months later. He'd seen her as Mush and Race had gone out to talk, had followed her through the first floor of the Renwick's home and caught her right before she entered the kitchen, _"Hey, leaving." He'd said, "Ya wanna skip outta here? Go on an adventuah?"_

He could have sworn she almost smiled at him calling her leaving, but she had bit it back and spit out, _"I'm sure any adventure with you would not end well for me."_

Leaning close to her, he whispered in her ear, _"Take a risk. Ya might find it's what ya been waiting foah."_

For the briefest second, he would have sworn her eyes grew hooded with pleasure at his whispered words. He took his chance then to steal a kiss…and had ended up with a nice red hand print on his face for the rest of the night.

"Weakness, huh?" He asked now, remembering a few of the moments since then where they had met up. When she had shown up at the Benjamin with news of Vivian right before she and Mush got together. The few times she was sent on errands by Clara that involved visiting Race.

Katherine rolled her eyes, "Don't worry, it won't happen again." Yet, he caught her watching him from the corner of her eye. As if she was waiting for him to pounce on her at any second.

Then, the conversation right before the attack came back to him and he was awash in anger on her behalf all over again. It was fairly common to hear of women getting pressed upon by men-but Blink knew it wasn't right. He had stood up for numerous women who were getting unwanted attention. While he knew he had his own issues with the female gender, he couldn't stand seeing anyone helpless.

His anxiety had grown quiet with the anger that had built, and with that aside, he tried to do something he didn't normally do. He attempted, for her, to make himself appear less threatening by sliding down the wall and mirroring her posture, knees pulled to chest as he rested his forearms on top of them. "Looks like we'll be stuck in here awhile, might as well get ta know each othah." Blink finally said, the silence of the small space once again bringing back the feeling of walls pressing in on him.

"Fine, then." She said, picking up a bit of hay and examining it, before asking grudgingly, "Did you grow up in New York?"

He hadn't realized they were going to start at his childhood and he felt his heartbeat ratchet up at the thought of talking of his past. "Yeah. Born and raised. You?"

Her head shook just the slightest, "No, we came to New York from Ireland when I was four. Right after my Da left us."

"Where at in Ireland?" Blink asked, curious in spite of himself. She didn't have any real accent, sounded educated like Clara.

"Small village in County Cork. I only vaguely remember it. There was so much green…My brother's told me more details as we grew up and I can't really tell what I imagined from what they told me from actual memories." When she stopped talking, a slight blush rose on her cheeks and Blink wondered if she was embarrassed at the amount of information she shared with him.

He cocked his head slightly, "Why don't ya have an accent?" He asked, although he wanted to ask how many brothers she had as well.

"My ma got hired by the Renwick's. Actually, they provided the money for us to come here. We're distantly related to Clara's father and they hired my mother as Clara and Scott's nanny. I was too young to go to school so she brought me with her and I got to sit in on all their lessons with them. Do you have any siblings?"

"Well, no blood siblings. But, the guys at the Benjamin are as close to bruddahs as a guy could ask for. Jack, too. We were all newsboys tagethah." Blink much rather they focused on his newsie days rather than the time before he got to the lodging house.

"My brother Sean was a newsie for a bit. But, only for a few years. He didn't really fit in because he had a home to go to every night." She looked at him a little askance, but did not push.

He was thankful, and he didn't deign to reply to that nudge, only changed the subject, "Why'd ya follah me during the wedding?"

She shrugged, turning her face to avoid eye contact. "I don't really know. You walked away and Mush looked so hurt but Vivian was there for him." Katherine stopped there but he got the distinct impression there was more to it.

Blink wanted to push, but she hadn't pushed him so he looked around for something to say. Finding nothing except once again realizing just how small it was in there, he said, "Well, if you wanna get some sleep I'll watch ovah ya." Surprised, she jerked her head to meet his eyes. There was a weariness in there that reminded him vaguely of Vivian. "It's awright, I won't touch ya or nothing." He added, wondering how he could gain her trust.

 _Gain her trust?_ He thought, now wondering why he even cared to have a woman trust him. He never needed it before and he sure as hell didn't need it now. Trust worked for people like Mush and Vivian, but it hadn't worked in Blink's experience. Ya couldn't trust women and they shouldn't trust him because he wasn't planning on sticking around long enough to give a damn about them.

His father had trusted his mother, had given up everything for her and then she bailed as soon as she birthed the child they had together. Blink had never known the happy, in love man the neighbors had told him about. The man who would sing to his newly wedded wife every night, who would dote on her as if she was the most treasured thing in his entire existence.

As soon as Blink was born, she was gone. Leaving nothing but a note that said, _Sorry. I can't do this anymore._ A note that would stay in his father's pocket for eleven years before his untimely death. All he knew of his father was the ghost of a man who spent every day in a fog of heart break. Who raised him gently, but who, on some days, couldn't even manage to get out of bed for his son. Had looked past his own son with eyes dark and faraway, re-living the past with his dear Allie.

Falling in love was for suckers and left you at the mercy of another person in a way that could wreck your entire life. Blink had watched his father mourn a woman for twelve years who never once gave him a second fucking thought.

His eyes cut over to Katherine, who hadn't said anything in reply, had only curled up onto a ball on her side of the tiny cell and had closed her eyes, her breathing just beginning to even out as she fell asleep.

 _Fuck._ Blink realized then, for the first time, that the apple didn't fall far from the fucking tree.

 **A/N: I know! You all just got a chapter notification but at the last second I realized that I wanted to make this chapter chapter 2 and the other one will be chapter 3. So, sorry for the confusion! But, I have the next chapter already written so drop me a review and I'll get the next one up super soon!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	4. Beside You

_Chapter Three_

 _"When your tears are spent on your last pretense, and your tired eyes refuse to close and sleep in your defense..."_

Beside You, Marianas Trench

Katherine's sleep was not restful or deep enough for the amount of exhaustion she felt. She probably only managed an hour or so of it before giving up and turning onto her back. The hay prevented the cold from the cement floor from freezing her, but it did little to provide any real comfort.

"Can't sleep?" His voice was so deep and she could hear the same exhaustion in those words that she felt.

"No." She said, laying her arm across her eyes so she wouldn't have to see his handsome face. Only silently, and deep down inside, would she admit that there was a palpable attraction between them. Since the moment he'd flashed that lady-killer grin at her the day she had met him and her heart had nearly stuttered to a halt, she knew it was there. But, she wasn't about to let _that_ get into his head. She didn't need a drama-filled relationship with a man unwilling to commit, one who would probably cheat and chase skirts until he died of some disease like syphilis. Katherine Finnegan was _not_ going to end up like her mother.

Sighing, she still found herself turning to see his face. He was sitting in the same position, knees up, forearms resting on them, but his head was leaning against the wall and his eyes were shut. As if he was concentrating on anything other than his surroundings.

A sharp stab of guilt cut across her stomach, realizing belatedly why he had been pacing around when he'd awaken. Why he had checked every possible exit and why he had chatted with her. All those things to distract him from having another panic attack. Yet, he'd sat down partway through their conversation, in order to seem less threatening to her, to make _her_ feel better.

Sitting up, Katherine mirrored him once more, as she grew more confused with each action the man in front of her took. The number of contradictions going on within him had peaked her interest and she was beginning to wonder if she had already started the descent down the rabbit hole that was Blink.

"Why do they call you Blink?" She asked, wondering what his real name was. She knew enough about newsies from her brother Sean to know they had almost all used nicknames. It confused the authorities and helped the runaways. But, Blink wasn't a newsie anymore. Perhaps the guys at the Benjamin had been too used to their newsie nicknames to call each other by their given names.

He opened those clear blue eyes that suddenly made her think about her favorite painting; a simple one of a beach that hung in one of the Renwick's guest bedrooms, and she realized his eyes were the exact same shade of blue as the ocean. "Actually, they called me Kid Blink. I used to wear an eye patch to gain sympathy sells as a newsie." He grinned.

Brushing a strand of hair back, she felt a wry smile pull up the edges of her mouth, "I can't believe I never met you as a newsie. Seeing you with an eye patch would have been funny."

Blink grinned back as he saw her small smile, "I'm kind of glad you didn't."

Confused, she asked, "Why's that?"

"Because you probably would have pulled my eye patch out and let it slam back ta hit me in the face."

At the imagery, Katherine couldn't help but laugh, before choking out, "It sounds like you have personal experience with that."

His cheeks mottled a soft pink as he looked away from her, "Maybe once or twice. Ditched the patch after the second time."

That only made her laugh more until the small window of the door slid open and a familiar voice said, "G'morning, dollface. Nice ta hear ya laughtah at such an early houah."

Like her dealings with most men, she slipped on a mask of indifference and turned away from him. Blink stood to block her from the guy's view, "Hey, man. Ya gonna tell us why we've been kidnapped?"

"Dat's da boss's, job. He just got in and you two are his foist ordah of business." The stranger slammed shut the slot and they heard a set of keys rattling, a little bit of talking, and then finally the click of the lock as it turned and then the door was open. Katherine was sure Blink would jump on the guys the second they opened the door, but he did not. Only let them handcuff his hands behind his back.

Katherine stood in alarm, wondering if they were going to take him separately and leave her to face all of this alone. But, the man who kept calling her dollface, a tall, gangly fellow with a few teeth missing and stringy black hair that was long and cut jaggedly down to his cheeks, stepped forward and began handcuffing her, taking his sweet time, as the two men holding Blink waited. Katherine tried to hide the wince as he traced his hand up and down her arms.

"Hey, buddy, keep ya hands ta yaself." Blink growled, his blue eyes flashing as he looked between Katherine and the man just behind her.

She felt a wave of relief as the man immediately stopped, but from the corner of her eye she could see him glaring at Blink, "No tawking." The guy snapped back, "You aren't even supposed ta be here."

She didn't miss the salacious look the guy passed her, but desperately wish she had. Her stomach was flipping over and over as they started down the hall. What if they let Blink go and she was at the mercy of this guy?

Gazing ahead at Blink's back, the years of hard labor toning back muscles that she could make out through his thin white shirt, she knew he'd bolt the second he could. Freedom as opposed to being locked in a cell until her brother, Brendon probably, paid back some sort of gambling debt or whatever he had done to piss off this man.

Blink glanced back at her, his blue eyes searching her face, before he turned back ahead as they reached another door. One of the two guys holding Blink pulled out another set of keys and unlocked the door. Katherine held her breath as it opened and as soon as the guys in front were out of the way, she took in the room. A dozen or so men were sitting at various tables in the room, but it was the man in the back corner that grabbed her attention first because it was to that man they were headed.

He was big and burly, and not unlike the drawings of bears she had seen in the books the Renwick's had. His brown hair and beard were equally unkempt and wild, and his black eyes bore into her as soon as he caught sight of them.

"Katherine Finnegan." He said, his voice loud in the basement, despite the hushed voices that continued to talk and go about their business.

Steeling herself, she raised her chin and met those black eyes straight on, "Correct."

"D'ya know why I have ya here, Katherine?" The Boss said, eyeing her up.

"No. I don't even know where here is or who you are." She replied.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blink looking back into the crowd behind them, wondered briefly what the hell he was doing, before giving her full attention to the man-bear in front of her who was saying, "Da name's Barkers and ya here because ya brothah Brendon-" _Nailed it_ , she thought, "-stole something very precious of mine."

Katherine furrowed her brows at that last half. "Brendon is many things, Mr. Barkers, but he is not a thief." She found herself saying, wondering if she should have kept her mouth shut but could not stand for anyone to call her brother something he was not.

Barkers eyes hardened at her comment, "Your brother, _Miss_ Finnegan, has taken my little girl."

She took a step back and bumped into the gross man who had been hovering over her the entire time and quickly stepped forward, "My brother would never kidnap a child, sir." She said, even as bewildering thoughts of what her brother had done went through her mind.

Barkers waved his hand, "No, she's not a child but she is _my_ daughter and your brother has-has-" He cut himself off to give an unhuman-like growl, " _married her_."

Katherine found herself blinking back at Barkers in surprise. Her brother, married? No, that seemed impossible. She knew she had been busy lately helping Clara with the wedding but she hadn't been _so_ busy she wouldn't have noticed her brother getting married! Brendon getting _married_? He was a perpetual child, a typical male who didn't want to grow up. He was two years older than her but he had always been the gamble, drink, and chase women-type. Not like Sean and Patrick who had married young and lived happily with their families.

She cast a look over to Blink, but he was looking nonplussed. Of course, he didn't know Brendon, but this was big, "I'm sorry, Mr. Barkers." She said, turning back to the man in front of her, "I really had no idea. I almost don't even believe it. But, I'm not entirely sure what you expect by keeping me here."

Barkers eyes flashed, "He doesn't get his sister back until he brings back my little girl." His eyes passed over to Blink, "And _you_ , I don't even know why they brought you in with her. Leave him somewhere."

"If it's awright with you, I'd like ta stay with her." Blink replied, easily, surprising both Barkers and Katherine.

"And why should I oblige you?" Barkers asked, sneering at the blonde man.

"Because you owe me. Remember John Knight?" At the mention of the name, Katherine watched in great surprise as Barkers face turned ashen. "I'm his son, Thomas." Blink added, his blue eyes flicking over to Katherine as if gauging her response to his real name.

"Tommy?" Barkers asked, staring at Blink with wide eyes.

Blink nodded his head as he seemed to quote something mockingly back at the man, "'His eyes is all I got left of her, William.'"

Barkers eyes closed for a second before he barked out a command, "Lefty, put them back in their cell until my daughter is home!" His eyes were open again but Katherine could see a haunted pain behind them as the creepy guy, Lefty she assumed, started to drag her back towards the door they had come through.

This time, she was ahead of Blink and she glanced back at him, but he wasn't looking at her. His face was controlled, a slight withdrawn look as he analyzed whatever internal scar he had ripped open in order to stay with her.

She was shoved into their cell, her handcuffs removed and Lefty took the opportunity to smack her on the ass before she could get away. Giving a small growl, she turned, pressed her back against the cell wall, and glared at him as he chuckled. But, his chuckle didn't last because already they had unhandcuffed Blink and his fist was going straight for Lefty's right eye.

"I said, ta keep ya hands ta yaself." Blink told him darkly as Lefty stumbled back out of the cell and slammed the door shut.

The resounding sound of the lock was the only answer. They were once again left alone in the small cell. Katherine had too many questions, not enough answers. Yet, she could see a sadness in the way Blink's shoulders sagged just a bit. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she thought about how he had used a debt owed to him in order to stay locked in a cell with her.

"Thomas." She said the name aloud before she could stop herself and suddenly Blink was whirling around on her, his blue eyes blazing.

But, it wasn't with anger, like she almost expected, but something more. Passion. His whole body taut with emotions. It scared her in a way that wasn't frightening, but thrilling. Without thinking, she stepped closer to him, wrapped her hand behind his head and pulled his lips down to hers.

 **A/N: Aw, yeah. Here's chapter 4! Many thanks to those who continue to review, biankies, coveredinbees14, and Pixielou! Also to those who've added this to favorites and alerts. You guys rock. Hope everyone who is reading is enjoying so far! Review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	5. Masterpiece Theater I

_Chapter Four_

" _Careful, follow my instruction, and I will show self destruction…"_

-Masterpiece Theater I by Marianas Trench

For a second, he was too stunned by her forwardness to react to her lips pressed against his. Never, in all of his time with women, had one gone and kissed _him_ first. He had always been the first to make a move, to seduce the woman he had chosen for the night. _But, this one…_

His entire being came alive with her touch. Suddenly, his hands were cupping her face, running back into her hair as he angled her face so that he could completely take control of those lips that set him on fire. Every part of his body that touched hers was sparking with an electricity he had never felt before. It was the most exhilarating thing he had ever felt.

And when she succumbed to him, her head tilting back to let him deepen the kiss, she let out the softest moan that nearly sent him over the edge-

Blink pulled away from her so fast, she stumbled forward and he steadied her as he breathed heavily and closed his eyes to keep from seeing the expression on her face. Turning from her, he tried to control the emotions that had been flooding through him at such a speed he hadn't had time to listen to any of them except the biggest one-an all-consuming terror.

"Sorry." He said gruffly, leaning his forearm on the wall, back still to her. He was unwilling to turn and look upon the most beautiful face he'd ever seen. He didn't want to see the look of utter rejection that must be there, couldn't stand to see her look angry at his behavior.

But, when she spoke, he realized there was something much worse than those things, "No, it's alright. It was probably best you did that."

The blatant relief in her tone made him turn to face her, bewildered. She was _relieved_ he had cut off their kiss? Even though she was the one who had thrown herself at him? He couldn't believe it, could not understand that after the best kiss that had ever taken place, she could be thankful it was over. He was no longer scared of his feeling, only hurt, and it was swiftly followed by biting anger.

"Yeah, it was probably for the best. Don't need the kind of girl who throws herself at men." He had imagine biting those words out, throwing them in her face, but the way they came out was unexpected; they were flat, hollow, and feelingless. Blink wanted to hurt her the way she had hurt him, but the words were false, and they both knew it. Even as furious as he was, even as much as it hurt that she was truly relieved they weren't following the path that kiss could have led them, he couldn't hurt her by insinuating what she most definitely was not.

Katherine remained silent, but moved to sit back down on the floor, her emerald skirts flaring around her as she sat cross legged with her back against the farthest wall from him. He was surprised she hadn't thrown him a witty retort, surprised that for once she had no comeback. All the fight seemed drained out of her.

He pressed himself against the wall and slid heavily down it, resting his forearms on his knees as he buried his hands into his hair. He should have gotten out while he could. If his plan B didn't follow through, who knew how long they'd be stuck in here before plan C finally showed up. Or if none of those worked out, maybe Katherine's brother would return his new wife for his sister. But, that was most definitely plan D, because the likelihood of that working seemed slim even to Blink.

At least he always had a backup plan. His mother had passed down a few things to him he hadn't been able to help inheriting. Her blue eyes, her always ready backup plans, and the predilection to leave.

So why had he stayed here?

"I suppose I'm a little broken." Katherine's words were soft in the quiet room. He looked up to find her gazing at the wall, an introspective look on her face as she absentmindedly played with a piece of straw from the floor.

"Aren't we all?" Blink replied, almost surprised by his candid question.

The smallest of smirks lifted the left side of her mouth before disappearing as she answered him, "I guess in our own ways. Perhaps broken isn't the word I want. I think mismanaged might be better."

"Mismanaged by Clara's ex-fiancé?" He inquired, quirking his head just a tad to try and understand where she was going.

Her eyes darkened a touch, "No, Henry was an inconvenience. I didn't like what happened, but at least it showed Clara his true nature before she made the mistake of marrying him. Race is a much better choice for her." She smiled slightly and Blink found himself returning it.

"Race is a good guy." He told her, "You shoulda seen how excited he was when he showed us her engagement ring."

Katherine chuckled, a low, throaty sound that Blink yearned to hear over and over again, "I can imagine. He was always so excited to talk about wedding things. I think he showed up after work one morning, sleep deprived, but with a bouquet of flowers from a shop near the Benjamin. Just showed up, telling Clara he saw these beautiful flowers and thought they should use the shop for the wedding flowers and to give them to her. She was tickled."

Blink laughed at that story. It was just like Race, "That's a good one. But, I can top that. Have you heard how Mush proposed to Vivian?" When she shook her head, he found himself launching into the story, "Well, it took a lot of planning but he managed to get her to put her own engagement ring into her chocolates and he bought the box it ended up in for her and when she went to bite into it, she almost cracked a tooth on the diamond."

The dark-haired woman laughed, a full blown laugh, "How did he manage that?" She asked, mirth dancing in her beautiful eyes.

Blink shrugged, "I didn't ask, I don't even want to know how he manages to be so romantic all the time. Vivian will never go a day without affection and love, that's for sure."

Her sigh brought his eyes back to her and he watched the wistful look on her face, "That's so wonderful. Two of my brothers married young and to such kind women. Happy marriages are now the example after the train wreck that was my parents' relationship."

"Yeah, I'm in a similar boat. Race and Mush happily married, but my own parents were a travesty so I'll probably follow in their footsteps." He laughed it off, although it still wrecked him to think of his mother leaving and never meeting her, of how his father mourned her and never loved another.

"Hmmm." Was her only reply as their gazes met for the first time since the kiss.

Another shiver of electricity ran up his spine as he gazed into her eyes, so soft a brown they reminded him of fresh baked brownies. He ignored the part of him that wanted to hold her, though, because he was afraid he'd already gotten in too deep.

"How do you know Barkers?" She asked, suddenly.

Blink raised an eyebrow at her blunt question, but figured it wouldn't hurt to tell her the truth, "My dad used ta be his second in the gang. Right around the time he took it over from the previous guy. I spent most of my childhood in this bar we're undah."

"Could you get us out of here?" she asked, looking up at the barred window.

He shook his head, "Those bars won't budge from our side, but I got someone workin' on it. Owes me a favor."

"Just like Barkers owed you a favor?" Her curiosity was apparent.

Shrugging, he avoided revealing too much, "Yeah, 'cept this guy owes me a bigger favor. He'll be here once it's dark."

Sighing, she laid down on the ground, "I guess I'll try to sleep a bit. Wake me when you're ready to get me out of here."

Rolling his eyes, he couldn't help but tease her just a bit, "Well, ya got ya adventure with me."

Groaning, she threw her forearm over her eyes, "I'm still not sure this won't end well for me."

He chuckled before laying down on his side of the small cell. He spent the next hours watching the sun and shadows dancing across the ceiling until dark fell. A slight scraping noise, a grunt and finally a rope falling down through the window greeted him and Katherine jerked awake.

"Are we getting out of here?"

"Looks like Plan B worked out." He told her, flashing her a grin in the dark.

 **A/N: Let me know what you think in a review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**

 ***Disclaimer***


	6. Desperate Measures

_Chapter Five_

" _When I got you right where I want you, I been pushing for this for so long. Kiss me, just once, for luck. These are desperate measures now."_

-Desperate Measures by Marianas Trench

 _ **August 10**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

Katherine was helped up the rope by Blink and then hauled through the window by a dark-haired man just about their own age. He flashed her a grin in the darkness of the summer night as he set her on the sidewalk and then reached in to give Blink a hand up.

"Aye, Swifty." Blink said as soon as he was through the window, "Long time no see." He joked, because she was pretty sure this was who he'd been looking at during their meeting with Barkers that morning. They proceeded to do the oddest thing; both spit into their hands before shaking. Blink glanced at her and laughed at her obvious disgust, "Old newsie habits die hard, I guess. How's it rollin', Swift?"

"Not bad, Kid. See ya keepin' yaself outta trouble, as usual." The man, Swifty, replied sarcastically as he knelt to slide the iron bars back into place on their cell window. Katherine felt relief at finally being out of that small space.

"Hey, trouble follahs me not the othah way around." Was Blink's retort and the longer the two kept talking, the thicker Blink's New York accent got, Katherine noticed. She didn't know why, but she found it oddly appealing.

Swifty rolled his dark, brown eyes good naturedly, "Yeah, yeah." He turned to her and offered the opposite hand than the one he had shaken Blink's with, "I'm Swifty, since this here bummah wasn't goin' ta intraduce us, and you must be Katherine. Everyone's been saying how lovely ya are."

She felt her face get hot at the compliment, "Thank you, nice to meet you, Swifty."

"Pleasures all mine." He turned back to Blink, who was watching their introduction closely, "Listen, Kid. I gotta go light the lamps now. Beat it before Barkers notices ya gone, yeah?"

"He won't know it was you, would he?" Blink asked, concern for his old friend coloring his tone as he moved closer to Katherine.

Shrugging, Swifty started jogging backwards away from them as he answered Blink, "Probably not. Barkers is losing his control. Aftah Robert Ridley went bonkers ovah Mush's girl, he hasn't had the same support in the gang."

"Interesting." Blink muttered to himself as he waved the guy off. He turned to look at Katherine, "Whatya gonna do, just stand there till they catch us? C'mon!" He grabbed her hand and started pulling her through the city's back alleys.

They were only a block and a half away when a whistle split the night air and Blink's grip on her hand tightened, "I think they noticed ouah departure." He told her softly, picking up his pace and all but dragging her through even more twists and turns. She grew breathless at the pace he kept them at, his tight grip not allowing her to fall behind. To keep from thinking about the burn in her lungs, she instead focused on the callousness of his hand and the tight muscles of his back. What she wouldn't give to run her hands along it until she got to that tight derriere…she shook her head to push those dangerous thoughts away.

They stopped suddenly, Blink easily sliding her into a small alcove before shielding her with his body. Gently, he put his hand over her mouth and pressed his own mouth to the back of his hand so it looked as if they were just two lovers grabbing some time together. She should have been paying attention to the gang members who ran passed them, not sparing them a glance, but she was caught in Blink's blue eyes as he stared steadily into her own. She wanted to lick her lips or say something to him, the stare down was so intense, but his hand over her mouth stopped any of that.

Slowly, he pulled his head back just a touch and removed his hand. His gaze didn't waver, and it seemed as though he was deciding what to do. Move forward or back? She should push him away, make the decision first, but as much as her brain told her no, her heart was screaming for him to move forward.

It was as if he heard her heart as he dipped his head down to capture her lips as she had been waiting for him to do since the second the last kiss ended.

The intensity that had been in the that kiss came back full force and she found herself arching her back to press closer to him, her hands clenching his back like she had yearned to do just a few minutes ago. She had kissed a few boys, had even fallen in love and got burned by one of them, but those had never consumed her entire body the way Blink's touch did. It brought out this hungering pleasure in her that blanked her mind and made her want to desperately follow him to whatever brink they could find together and _jump_.

This time, it was she who pulled away first, but only to catch her breath. Blink did not pull away, but let his lips trail down her neck in a way that had her toes curling in her shoes. Unable to bite it back, she let out a throaty moan, but remembering how that noise had stopped him the last time, she followed it with a husky, "Don't stop."

He groaned at those words, his hands trailing down to her hips where he dug his fingers in to hold her there against him. It was such an erotic feeling, the pressure of his fingers that were firm but not hurtful, that she had the urge to move her hips forward to spite his fingertips. He let out a gasp at her grinding motion, but kept his mouth on her neck as he alternated between kissing, suckling, and nipping the tender skin there. She dug her hands into his back as the sensations drove her wild. Her senses were completely consumed by all of him, his smell, sweat and aftershave, and his hot breath on her neck, as well as the feel of his hard muscles beneath her hands.

She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything.

"Katherine." He murmured against her skin, "Tell me to stop."

Instead, she cupped his cheek and brought his lips back to hers. Her whole body and soul was on fire and he was the spark that had lit it. She wanted to consume him.

He broke the kiss, "Katy. We have a gang aftah us." His voice was deep with want despite the words. She wondered that he was so much more aware of the threats around them, while all she wanted to do was stay here and find out where this passion could lead them.

Sighing, she let his words ground her and she felt her whole body sag into his as she let her head press against his chest. Without thought, he wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, as she found her own words, "I…Yes, we should really get going."

Though danger lurked close by, neither moved. He kept his arms around her for a few precious minutes as she listened to his heart beat start to slow down. What was wrong with her? On paper their entire relationship was doomed. Yet, she couldn't fight this physical attraction she had for him. Not that it was all physical, every aspect she had seen of him, other than his womanizing, she was attracted to. He was loyal to those he cared about, he always tried to find humor in a situation, he was intelligent and hardworking.

She pressed her face harder against his chest, as she tried to sort out her feelings. He was all that and more. He got anxious at the thought of his friends growing up without him, he didn't like small spaces, and he sang songs to calm himself down. He was equal parts strong and vulnerable.

And he hadn't left her in that cell alone.

She wondered why he kept holding her, why he hadn't pulled away, yet. This sweet action only got her in deeper, gave her hope that, although they each had issues with the opposite gender, this could work out. Katherine was scared of that hope, was scared to hope too much and lose everything.

Gradually, he loosened his arms around her. "Come on, my place isn't very far. We'll walk a little slowah, the dark should cover us." His words were said softly and instead of grabbing her whole hand as he had done before, this time he laced their fingers together.

They walked side by side instead of him pulling her along this time. She found she liked this much better, she liked the sweet silence of the night and knowing no harm would come to her on the dark streets because she was safe with Blink. Thomas.

"If your father was good friends with Barkers, then you must know his daughter?" The sudden thought had her speaking out loud, although in practically a whisper because that seemed to be what the darkness demanded.

"Yeah, Beth and I were raised tagethah. I think Barkers always assumed I'd marry her and take over the gang." Blink replied, his voice just as hushed.

She quirked her head as she gazed up at him, "But, you…ran away?"

He glanced down at her, his blue eyes seeming to measure her to decide if he wanted to tell her the truth. Finally, he nodded, "But, only aftah my fathah died. There was some damning evidence that suggested Barkers had a hand in his death. So, I beat it out of there befoah he could kill me, too."

"Is that why you wore the eye patch?"

Her question caught him off guard and he swung his head around to stare at her a moment, surprised. "Yeah, actually. People don't like ta take a second look at the handicapped. They'd just rather hand ya more money ta ease their guilt and avoid all eye contact."

Katherine studied his profile as he turned to watch where they were going, "Seems like you knew someone who was handicapped."

The corner of his mouth quirked up, "Seems ya very astute." He paused, "Beth is blind. I took a half note out of her book and chose just an eye patch aftah I left."

"Did you care for her?" Katherine hated asking, hated even more that there was a tiny note of jealousy as she asked the question in a soft, vulnerable voice. She shouldn't be worried about his feelings for the girl, anyway, she tried to reason because if her brother had married Beth, then the woman obviously didn't hold a torch for Blink. But, she needed to hear how he felt.

His hand squeezed hers just enough that she thought she might have imagined it, "Like a little sistah. I was always scared foah her, so gentle and vulnerable amid a gang of thugs."

Katherine made a noise of sympathy in her throat, wondering what Beth was like. She'd have to be special enough if her brother had settled down for her. She had never thought she would live to see the day Brendon took a wife.

She cast the smallest glance towards Blink as that thought occurred to her. Perhaps, miracles could happen.

* * *

 _"Don't pull away Trust in me, trust in me. I'm just trying to keep this together, Because I could do worse and you could do better"_

Beside You by Marianas Trench

Blink was actually nervous as he went up the two flights of stairs to his apartment. He tried to think if he had cleaned it before he was kidnapped, if he'd left any food out or a pair of his drawers on the floor. He had been expecting to come back right after the wedding, not two days later.

He stopped just outside his door, the apartment number _223_ looking old and worn in the dark hallway. Taking a deep breath, trying not to think too much the fact that this would be the first ever woman in his apartment, he slid the key in and unlocked the door. Turning the handle, he glanced back at Katherine, who was looking on in curiosity, and was once again sidetracked by her beauty. Not even just her physical beauty, but by the intelligent, gentle soul within her.

She raised an eyebrow at his hesitation. Sighing, he opened the door and looked quickly around as she followed him in.

It wasn't much, but it was home. It was a rather small, one bedroom with a private water closet, which was why he'd chosen this particular building. After spending a few months in the Benjamin during his time apartment hunting, he'd gotten used to that luxury and had searched out apartment buildings that were updated with this new feature.

He watched as she peeked into his kitchen, taking in the amount of cookbooks he had piled in stacks, one or two opened to specific recipes.

"Why do you have so many cookbooks?" She inquired, running her fingers down one of the pages.

He tried to ignore her fingertips skimming along the page, tried not to picture them running along a part of _him_ , but after their heated embrace not long ago it was hard to do. "Ya know I work at the Benjamin."

She nodded, flipping the page absentmindedly.

"Wait! Please bookmark that page." He said, hurrying over to dog ear the previous page before she could get any farther in the book. She glanced up at him in askance before he explained, "I work in the Restaurant. I..I'm the manager. I pick the recipes we put on the menu, handle the Chefs, and make sure things run smoothly."

"Oh." Her lips formed that word and again he tried not to let it bring up sexual images in his mind but he was afraid he wasn't strong enough. It didn't help that her eyes dilated just a touch and she gulped as she realized how close they were.

He knew she was probably tired, they had to get sleep so they could come up with a game plan, but the sexual tension in the air was so palpable, their continued connection becoming strained as things got more heated between them. He wasn't sure how to ease it, didn't know if he wanted to after their alleyway moment, and he knew if they started it up again that he wouldn't be able to stop this time.

Before, he managed through the haze of passion to think about the cost of staying out in the open like that. How at any moment one of Barkers men could stumble on them and they would end up back in that cell, and likely beaten for the name of the person who had helped them escape. Barkers did not tolerate betrayal any more than another gang leader would. But, here? Safe in his apartment, nothing would stop him from taking her unless she said no. And judging from her reaction and unwillingness to stop earlier, he doubted she'd do that now.

"Thomas…" She said his name again and it was the most erotic thing he'd ever heard. He felt his eyes get heavy as he imagined her saying it in that throaty voice she'd used earlier when she had said, _"Don't stop."_

If she said that again, there was not a force on earth that could keep him from her. "Katherine?"

Her cheeks flushed, "I liked when you called me Katy."

"Yeah, Katy?"

Her browns eyes warmed at the nickname and she dipped her head down in that way she had at the wedding, letting her long dark hair hide her face, "Is it alright if I clean up?"

Taking a step back to give her space, he nodded, "Of course. There's a water closet right in that corner." He pointed over towards it, "Would you like me to put water on the stove to heat?"

She shook her head, "No, cold water will be fine." Ducking her head again, he was beginning to see that she did it when she was slightly embarrassed, she asked, "Can I borrow some clothes? I don't suppose you have any dresses…"

He chuckled, "No, ya the first dame to be in my apartment. I have trousahs and a shirt you can borrow, though."

Her pleased look at being the first woman there hit him like a sucker punch.

In a daze, he went into his room and dug around for clean trousers and shirt. Once he had them in hand, he found himself just standing there, trying to clear his head while he had a moment alone. "Fuck." He found himself mumbling, wondering how he could have let this happen.

Despite the fact that they had a gang after them, that he hadn't been to work and needed to get a message to David and Mush, and despite the fact that all of this was bringing back old scars from his childhood...and most of all, even though they had spent only about a day and a half in constant company of each other and he should be annoyed and sick of her.

In spite of all of that, Blink was pretty sure he'd gone and fallen in love with her.

 **A/N: I REALLY wanted to end this night and move forward but the characters are not having it. Looks like we'll be taking a leap in time in the next chapter, I think. Leave you wondering a bit where Carlos is going to find Blink and Katy now that they've escaped, or if Carlos will find them, and if Race will tell him his whereabouts of his ladylove (has anyone guessed who it is yet? You've met her!) Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! (Anyone notice the sexual tension? I might need to change the rating on this haha!)**

 **Review, please!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	7. Good to You

Chapter Six

" _I can't find my breath, can we just say the rest with no sound? And I know this isn't enough, I still don't measure up. And I'm not prepared, sorry is never there when you need it…"_

Good to You By Marianas Trench

 _ **August 11**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

"You can sleep in my bed; I'll take the couch." Blink murmured to her as she came out of the water closet looking much happier now that she was clean and refreshed. With that comfort taken care of, though, he could see the exhaustion plain on her face, in her shoulders, and the way she dragged her feet. Nodding at his words, too tired to argue, she shuffled to his bedroom and fell right on the mattress, not even taking the time to pull the covers over her.

Blink moved over to tuck her in, her soft snores letting him know just how exhausted she had been. Lightly, he brushed a wet strand of hair from her cheek as he gazed down at her. She was not a threatening woman, but given the feelings she gave him she might as well be. But, in sleep she looked so sweet and soft, he had to tamp down the urge to lay down beside her and fall asleep with her in his arms.

That urge should appall him because he _never_ stayed after sex to _cuddle_. His brain was horrified at the very thought, but he found himself ignoring it in favor of imagining it actually happening. He wondered if she would wrap her arms around him…

Turning away from her and the ridiculous feelings that came when he looked at her, he grabbed his own change of clothes and went to the water closet to take his own cold bath. He needed it like a starved man needed food.

The cold did it's job, numbing his body and taking off the edge of his raging hormones. He was just laying down on the couch when he heard a whimper from his bedroom.

"Thomas?" Her voice was soft, but ragged as if she were on the verge of tears, " _Thomas?"_ She repeated, a note of hysteria apparent this time around.

He bolted towards the room to see Katherine sitting up in the bed, her hands pushing her hair from her face, brown eyes wild in the soft light coming through the window. "Shh, Katy. I'm right here." He told her, sitting on the edge of the bed, taking her shaking hands into his.

She gripped his hands tightly, "Oh, what an _awful_ dream. I was in the cell all alone, and Barkers was standing on the other side of the door laughing while you yelled out as he t-tortured you." She bit back a sob and pressed into his arms, which he willingly opened to encompass her shaking form as he tried to soothe her. "A-and then he opened the door and threw you in with m-me…but you were d-d- _dead_."

"Shhh, shh. I'm not dead. We're fine. We got out, it's all awright." He murmured to her, pressing his lips to the top of her head. He repeated this a few times until she stopped shaking.

Sighing, she pulled away to lay back and when he went to stand, she grabbed his hand, "Please stay with me?"

"Of course." He should have hesitated because although the cold shower had helped, it wasn't a miracle worker and being so close to her with all of their tension between them would be…to say the least _hard_.

Ignoring the warnings in his brain, his heart already there in front of him, he slid under the covers and wrapped his arms around her like he imagined earlier. He couldn't stop the smile as she turned around to face him, burying her face in the crook of his neck as she slung her arm over him and managed to lace her legs with his.

In minutes, her breathing turned even and relaxed, the nightmare long gone. He squeezed her just a little bit, to assure her he was there to fend off any others that would come along.

Her steady heartbeat relaxed him into his own sleep, as much as he wanted to treasure this moment with her, he found he could not fight off his own exhaustion to do it.

* * *

At the darkest part of the night, just before dawn, Blink found himself slowly being pulled out of his sleep by a wandering hand that was skimming along his side, up and down, and stoking a fire in the pit of his stomach. Gently, he answered her hand with a caress of his own, softly stroking her hair before trailing his fingertips along her neck, shoulder, down along her ribs before settling at the meeting of her trousers and shirt. He slipped his hand just under the shirt to feel her soft skin.

At his touch, she moved her head out from below his chin to seek his lips. He met hers halfway, claiming those soft, full lips as he pressed himself forward. She easily rolled with his body, letting him pin her to the mattress as he brushed her lips with his tongue and she let him fully in.

Using his arms to keep his weight from crushing her, he shuddered as her fingertips explored him pushing his shirt up to run along his sides and back. Neither spoke or let themselves think about whether or not this was a good or bad idea, they just let their instincts take over as they followed the call of their hearts.*

* * *

Katherine woke up slowly, her ears picking up a soft patter of rain on the window first, and then the deep, even breathing and heartbeat under her. She didn't move or open her eyes, only savored how happiness thrummed through her entire body at this very moment. Later, her brain would try to make her regret this, regret last night, but she vowed that her heart would not. No matter how the future turned out, she wanted to keep this moment for herself.

Blink sighed and rolled over, pushing her off his chest but wrapping his arms around to cuddle her against his body before settling down and continuing to sleep. She found herself tucked against him, his chin resting on the top of her head as she lay between him and the wall. Never had she ever been cuddled like this. The one and only guy who had gotten past her barriers had stayed around long enough to get his satisfaction before ghosting out of her life.

Yet, this notorious rake was snuggling her as if she were his dearest love.

 _Don't think too much into it_ , her brain warned her heart. But, how could she _not_? Hope had done what it always did, wormed its way through the cracks of doubt and given her something to hold onto. Katherine had grabbed at it with both hands.

Lightly, without really thinking, she kissed his neck. In response, he squeezed his arms around her before mumbling, "Mmm, g'morning."

"I think it's afternoon." She whispered to him, although it was overcast and raining so it was hard to tell.

He pulled away from her to look up and out of the window, "Huh. Ya may be right." He then proceeded to snuggle his face into her hair at the crook of her neck and wrapped his arms back around her, "Back to bed, then." He murmured.

His breath on her neck tickled causing her to squirm in his arms but he only tightened them, "Thomas," She started, exasperated but he cut her off.

"Don't squirm like that unless ya up for round three." His voice was half amused, half aroused.

"As good as that sounds….wouldn't it be round five?" She paused waiting for his answer.

"Round five for _you_." Was his retort.

"Ah, yes." Her voice was far smugger than it needed to be, but she couldn't help it. "But, really, you need to let go." Dropping her voice to a whisper, she told him seriously, "I need to use the water closet."

He pulled away slightly to meet her gaze, a devilish gleam in his ocean blue eyes, "Oh, ya do? So, I shouldn't tickle you here…" He unwrapped his arms from around her, but proceeded to go for her sides and underarms.

She shrieked with laughter and pushed away from him so fast, she slammed her back into the wall.

"Katy!" He stopped his assault to check on her and she took that opportunity to gain the upper hand and roll him under her. Breathless, he gazed up her in such an adorable fashion with his blonde hair a mess from their escapades, his eyes becoming hooded at her position straddled atop him. "Well, if ya wanted ta try this position all ya had ta do was say somethin'." He stroked down her back, his fingertips sending electricity and warmth through her whole body and she silently debated how much she actually needed to visit the washroom.

Bracing her arms on either side of his head, she quirked her head at him, "Why should we try it this way?"

Instead of answering her, he showed her.

She did eventually make it to the water closet. As she washed her hands, she glanced up at her reflection in the mirror and was surprised by how different she seemed to look to herself. Definitely happier. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair looked soft and wavy despite the mess to it, and she found it hard not to smile. Her eyes also twinkled in a way that was very becoming. Part of her, well really all of her, liked the effect that Blink had on her.

Drying her hands, she paused when she heard a knock at the front door. Blink stumbled out of bed, tossing on a pair of trousers before heading to answer it.

"What if it's one of Barkers gang?" She whispered before he got to the door.

He glanced at her before calling out, "Who is it?"

"It's Charlotte."

The woman's voice was like a bucket of icy reality being thrown onto Katherine. Before Blink opened the door, Katherine sidled into the bedroom and looked around for the trouser and shirt he had given her last night to wear.

"Hey." She heard him greet the woman.

"Where have you been, Tommy? It's been two days!" The voice and the use of his given name caused Katherine to clench her teeth in anger at her stupidity. _Damn fool, he lied to you,_ she thought to herself, furious she had believed that she was the first woman to ever be allowed here. Yet, curiosity caused her to peek around the bedroom door to catch a glimpse of the stranger.

Of course, she was young and pretty. Blonde hair and green eyed, her dress hugged her body in all the right places and she was small and petite in the way men often liked their women. She was everything Katherine was not. She even gazed up in a sort of hero-worship way through blonde eyelashes that, even from here, Katherine could see were far longer and thicker than any woman had a right to have.

Katherine pulled her head back into the room and quickly began getting dressed. She was _not_ getting involved with this man any more than what had already happened. She couldn't. Falling in love with a man who cheated and lied to her and would inevitably leave was not in her future, she was _not_ her mother.

Dressed, ignoring the voices outside the door, she stared at the wall feeling the hope that had been present this morning slowly slide form her fingertips. Her brothers had found happiness, had fallen in love with wonderful ladies and had given all their love and loyalty to them. So, what was wrong with her? Tears began to prick her eyes at the thought, but she held onto her anger to keep them at bay. Glancing to the window, she wondered if she should just leave. Head towards Patrick or Sean's place and lie low with them until getting word to Brendon about his screw up. That way she'd be away from temptation, Blink wouldn't be caught up in her mess, and she could reclaim her life without some rakehell mucking it all up.

Thinking of no downsides, she noticed a pad and paper next to his bed and hastily scribbled a note on it before pulling on her shoes, the pretty, far too fancy shoes she had worn with her bridesmaid dress, and climbing out the window and down the fire escape.

She might have heard him yell her name, but she didn't turn back. Despite the rain, the streets were crowded and she easily lost herself among the strangers, her feet carrying her towards Brooklyn.

 **A/N: Oh, guys. I just broke Blink's heart and it feels AWFUL. Ugh. Anywho, I have an asterisk* in the scene above because I had to cut out the awesome sex scene in order to keep my rating down on this series. However, if anyone's interested, I'll probably post a separate story and rate it M and post all of the naughty scenes in it. Maybe include some cute little one chapter vignettes of snapshots of our couples from this series. If I do that, I'll make sure to let everyone know which chapters are the naughty ones and so forth.**

 **Please review! I already started working on the next chapter so it could be up later this weekend!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	8. Fallout

Chapter Seven

" _An empty room, I'm empty too and everything reminds me of you."_

-Fallout by Marianas Trench

 _ **August 11**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

After sending Charlotte, his landlord's youngest daughter who was barely fifteen and who had a crush on him, away, he visited the water closet before heading to the bedroom to continue snuggling Katherine. He was very much hoping she was still naked when he entered the room and saw the bed empty and the window open.

Alarm leaping through him, he ran to the window and yelled her name, fearing Barkers thugs had found where he lived and kidnapped her. He thought he saw her dark hair in the crowd but in a split second it was lost among all the people. Moving to grab his shoes and run after her, his froze as his eyes snagged on a note on the nightstand beside his bed.

In feminine handwriting that could only be Katherine's, he read the words once:

' _I'm sorry. I can't do this.'_

And then a second time:

' _I'm sorry. I can't do this.'_

Finally, a third time:

' _I'm sorry. I can't do this.'_

Blink's heart beat faster each time as reality crashed down around him. She had left him. History was repeating, he was being abandoned again, and he felt his heart break as he realized this was why he never let anyone get close, why he never stayed to snuggle any of the women before her, and why he never let anyone close enough to touch his heart.

You always left people before they left you.

Bile rose in his throat and he thought he would throw up at the irony of his life. Kid Blink, womanizing bastard that he was, finally met a woman that had done to him what he had done to so many before her.

It wasn't lost on him, either, that her note wasalmost a duplicate to the note his mother had left his father when she left.

But, he was not his father. He would not put this note in his pocket.

Crumbling it up in his fist, he felt too many emotions rise up as he threw it out the window she had gone out of. He felt as though he were drowning in them and he wondered how Mush had felt this way on four separate occasions and had still found it in him to trust Vivian not to do the same.

For a minute, he stood there so many emotions coalesced to the point he thought he was going to suffocate. Anxiety built up in him, he couldn't even think of a song to calm him down. Gazing around, he tried to grab at something-anything-that would explain just why it was that she had left. Had it been Charlotte? That was so preposterous. If a fifteen-year-old girl could send Katherine running, then good riddance.

He didn't let reason try to talk him out of his anger. He jumped straight on the anger train and decided to ride it to the nearest bar. Tossing on a shirt and shoes, he started to the door when something green caught his eye.

Stopping, he stared over at the neatly folded bridesmaid dress set just outside the bathroom and it nearly undone him. _Think of the anger_ , he told himself. He reached out with one boot and kicked the dress so that it was no longer neat but a mess on the floor just like his love life.

 _Love_ , he inwardly scoffed, _who fucking needs it_?

* * *

The farther from Blink she got, the more she wished she had stayed. What if that girl was just a neighbor or an errand girl? What if she was a coworker of his from the Benjamin and they went to work together? What if it was completely platonic and she was being too scared?

That was the one thing her mother had drilled into her children.

" _Fear."_ She remembered her mother saying, _"That's the heart of love. You mustn't let it win. If I had been too scared to love your father, I wouldn't have you wonderful blessings. If he hadn't been too scared to love me back, he'd still be around."_

Katherine's heart ached as she thought of her mother, who had passed away when she was seventeen. No woman had been more loving and gentle, couldn't imagine a man wanting to disappoint such a kind woman, to disillusion her, or make her bitter. The world was so unfair.

Her mother wouldn't want her to abandon Blink. She'd want her to fight for him, to be vulnerable and open to love. If he proved to be like her father, she'd cut him loose. But, up until that girl showed up he had proved to be sweet, to be loyal and steadfast through all of the drama her brother had caused. All of their teasing and lovemaking that morning…he couldn't fake that. He had to feel _something._ She hoped so, anyway. She would find out.

The walk had cleared her head. She realized she was quite close to the Brooklyn Bridge, but her heart was already back at Blink's apartment. It wished she would have stayed in his bed, stayed to hear him out or tell him that a woman showing up at his door calling him Tommy had hurt. That was key to a good relationship; communication.

Abruptly, she turned on her heel, nearly colliding into a man following too close behind her, "Sorry." She murmured, her thoughts on repairing whatever damage she might have caused with Blink and not on the stranger.

"Nah, I'm the one who should be sorry, girlie." The man replied right before tossing a potato sack over her head and dragging her towards a carriage waiting a half a block away.

Screaming, she tried to fight him, but she couldn't see and he was twice the size of her.

Katherine never made it to Brooklyn or back to Blink.

 **A/N: So, this is a little short, but I figured you'd all forgive me since I updated twice in one day. Whew, I've been writing like a madwoman and it's wonderful! I'm so excited! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Pixielou, who's doing well, I'm happy to say! And to who this chapter is for ;) Also, a very many thanks to coveredinbees, who has been guessing on Carlos' ladylove. I apparently have a lot of green-eyed characters! (It's my favorite color, what can I say!) I hope everyone reading is enjoying everything so far!**

 **Drop me a review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	9. Burning Up

Chapter Eight

" _Don't say you don't miss me that much. Don't say I don't still make you blush, cause my ears are burning, my ears are burning up."_

Burning Up, Marianas Trench

 _ **August 12**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

Frantically, Mush left the Benjamin Hotel and instead of going home to his wife, turned in the opposite direction. It had been three days since he had seen Blink and the last two days he hadn't been to work which was a red flag because Mush knew his best friend. Even if he went on liquor or lady benders, he _always_ showed up for work. It was the biggest constant in Blink's life and even David had been worried.

"I want to fire him for this, but I'm too concerned because this isn't like him at all." David had said, looking more haggard than ever. He'd been covering Blink's restaurant and the night desk while Race was on his honeymoon. Mush had offered to pick up a few extra shifts to help out but David had waved him away, "Go spend time with your wife."

While Mush appreciated it, it was hard to do that when he was agonizing over the whereabouts of his best friend. In all the years they had known each other, Blink had never up and left. They had talked every day since they had first met when they were only twelve years old and Blink had come to live at the lodging house.

Now, Mush had only to make a decision. Go see Jack about the situation or Race. He hated to interrupt Race during his honeymoon, but he was the one who knew how to find Carlos, the skip tracer who Mush hoped would be able to track down Blink. Jack probably couldn't do much about it, and he had Hazel to worry about. There wasn't much he could do and he didn't need another thing on his plate.

Mush found himself waving down a carriage and giving him the address to Race's new place and hoped he wouldn't be upset with him for interrupting his honeymoon...

When Race opened the door he was wearing only a robe and looking just a tad irritated, "What's so important it couldn't wait, Mush?"

"Blink's gone missing." He blurted out, before following up with, "I need Carlos."

Race rolled his eyes, "Maybe he's just with some dame he met. How long's he been gone?"

"Since your wedding and he hasn't been to work."

At that statement, Race opened the door wider for Mush to step in, "Let me go get dressed."

"Tony?" Clara's voice sounded from somewhere upstairs.

"Stay up there! We has company." He yelled up ahead of himself, and then he disappeared as Mush anxiously waited in the front foyer. He heard soft murmurings from the newlyweds and felt a stab of regret that he wasn't home with his Vivian. But, right now he had bigger problems.

The Italian man was back down in under ten minutes, rifling through his pockets for a cigar as, together, they stepped outside. Lighting his cigar, they began walking.

"Should we get a carriage? It's fastah." Mush said, finally.

Race shook his head as he inhaled smoke and then exhaled slowly, "Nah, Carlos doesn't live too far."

That surprised Mush because the area they were in was a little more upper class than he thought a skip tracer would live, "Makes a good living, huh?"

Race shrugged nonchalantly, "He's the best. And he's not exclusive to any one gang. Makes a killing."

Mush nodded in understanding as Race pointed to the right and they entered a nice looking apartment building. Four floors up, Race turned down the hallway and stopped in front of a door. Sighing, he knocked three times and they waited.

There was a tiny bit of noise and then a bang and a curse and then the door opened and Carlos Fuentes was there looking a little worse for wear. His clothes were rumpled, his shirt untucked, his face looked filthy and he reeked of booze. His hair was a mess and he squinted at them as if trying to place them. "Race?"

"Ya don't look good, Carlos." Race said, eyeing the man in front of him.

Carlos shrugged and left the door open for them as he moved away and let himself fall on the couch. "I wasn't expecting company or I'd have put on my Sunday best." He mumbled sarcastically, grabbing a bottle that had been sitting on the floor by the sofa and taking a swig.

Mush furrowed his brows, taking in the spartan apartment and the lack of any real comfort. "Whatsamattah with you?" He heard Race ask as he continued to look around.

The skip tracer sighed, "Whatya want?" He replied, ignoring Race's question.

Race took the bottle away from him and sat it on the kitchen table, "We need to purchase ya services. Ouah buddy is missin'."

"I got problems of my own, Race." The words stopped Mush as he noted the deep sadness behind them.

Race cocked his head to the side, as if he was reading into the situation better than Mush. Which was entirely possible, Mush decided, since Race had told him that he and Carlos had once been best friends. "Well, maybe we can help eachothah out." Race finally said, leaning on the back of the sofa, his back to Carlos as he waited for an answer.

It was silent a few heartbeats before Carlos stood, looking much less drunk than when they got there, "Do ya know something I don't, Race?" His voice was deadly serious, his entire body seeming to tense and hum in anticipation of his old friend's answer.

"Maybe."

Mush hid his surprise but he felt the sudden urge to hit Race. Why not help the guy out so he could help them with Blink? But, he figured Race knew what he was doing, so he kept quiet as the two spoke.

"Do you know where she is?" The question was spoken softly, as if the she in question was as precious as gold.

Race narrowed his eyes, as if he noticed, too. "If ya help me out, I'll see what I can do."

Carlos turned to meet his gaze, his eyes a blue so wild, like a storm was brewing inside him, "I will do anything you want if you can point me in whatever direction she went."

Quirking an eyebrow, Race told him gently, "She's awright. Safe and sound."

The Spaniard's shoulders dropped and he looked fundamentally relieved. Whoever she was, Mush thought, he cared a great deal about her. That much was so obvious, Mush wondered why she left.

"I'll look for your friend. Does he have any debts, any enemies? When was the last time you saw him and who was he with?" Carlos finally asked, tucking in his shirt and grabbing his boots from a room off to the right.

"He don't owe anyone nothing." Mush said, glad something was going to be done, "We saw him last at Race and Clara's wedding. I…I'm not certain but I'm pretty sure he was last with Katherine Finnegan, she was missing the rest of the night. Has Clara talked to her or seen her?" He directed the last question at Race.

Race shrugged, "We've been on ouah honeymoon. We wouldn't have seen anyone if you hadn't come and bothahed me." He quirked his lips up in a smirk as he said it and Mush rolled his eyes.

"Finnegan sounds familiar." Carlos said, interrupting them, "She have any brothers?"

For someone who had grown up amidst gangs and thugs, Carlos spoke surprisingly well. It made Mush a little curious as to how he'd gotten where he was in life. But, perhaps that's what Carlos wanted-mystery.

"Three bruddahs. Brendon, Patrick, and Sean." Race told him, squinting slightly as he tried to remember what Clara had told him of the girl. "Sean lives in Queens with his family, Patrick in Brooklyn, but Katy was living with Brendon and he's always gettin' in trouble." Clara had told him that only a few weeks before.

Carlos nodded and opened a closet to pull out a cabby hat. "Alright, I'll give you an update tomorrow once I find out what's going on."

Race nodded and jerked his head at Mush, "Let's go, Mush."

"Oh, and Race?"

Race stopped, his hand on the door, but he didn't turn around as he answered Carlos, "Yeah?"

"Once I find your friend, you will tell me everything you know about her whereabouts."

Mush raised his eyebrows at the underlying threat behind those words as Race only nodded in reply and they took their leave. They were a few blocks away when he finally asked, "Do you really know where this woman is?"

Race's mouth was in a grim line as he slowly nodded, "Yeah, but I'm not sure if she wants ta be found. I gotta go, I'll catch up wit ya tomorrah. Give Vivian my best." With that, Race took off in another direction as Mush was left standing there staring at his retreating back.

Sighing, he shrugged at all of the mystery and headed in the direction of home.

* * *

 _ **August 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

Carlos leaned against the door frame of apartment _419_ as he lightly knocked on the door with the knuckle of his pointer finger. It had been too easy, really. Knowing Race and the Benjamin boys, he started with Barkers gang in the Bronx and sure enough, that's where Blink had been.

 _Had_ being the key word. The slippery bastard had escaped before Mush and Race had even known he was really kidnapped. That didn't really bother Carlos, because he had another lead on their friend's whereabouts.

This particular house call, however, was a repayment for a debt Carlos owed. He was positive Blink would still be in that bar drowning in booze in an hours' time. He rolled his eyes as he heard laughter and knocked a little louder with the same knuckle. Right now, he despised happy couples and it was as if they were everywhere, throwing it into his face that his had up and left…

There was the scraping of a chair on the wooden floor and footsteps before the door was pulled open by a large brute of a man, his dark hair cut short, his hazel eyes merry and laughing as he pulled his gaze from something behind the door to meet Carlos' gaze. "What can I do for ya?" His voice was deep with just a touch of an Irish accent.

Carlos continued to lean casually against the doorframe, "You must be Brendon."

Suddenly, a petite woman with wild, curly brown hair shoved the much larger man out of the way and Carlos quirked an eyebrow as Bethany put herself in front of Brendon, a glower on her face despite the fact that her eyes never focused on him, "Carlos Fuentes, you get outta here." Her voice was a touch deeper than one would expect for a woman who barely reached five foot two.

"Calm down, Beth." He said, straightening to cast a once over on her. Beth looked healthy, unharmed, and frankly a lot happier than he'd ever seen her. Even if she was glaring at him through sightless eyes. "I'm not here on behalf of your father."

That cut a lot of the hostility out of her, but she still regarded him suspiciously, "Who else would hire you?"

It was entirely possible that her father had, in fact, tried to contact him to find her and when he ignored Barkers' summons, he'd gone and kidnapped Brendon's sister. "Why, I'm here as a favor to you. Congratulations, by the way. Carlos Fuentes." He said, much more cheerily than he actually felt as he held his hand out to Brendon.

"Favor to me?" Bethany asked, ignoring their handshake and his congratulations.

He glanced up at Brendon as he answered her, "Well, yes. You scratch my back, I scratch yours?" He raised an eyebrow, wondering how she couldn't recall the one time she'd stuck her neck out for him, but continued on anyway, "Anyway, I assumed now that you two are married, you're invested in his family."

Beth looked a little uneasy as she reached out a searching hand for Brendons'. The man didn't even seem to register his immediate response, simply finding her hand and lacing it with his. Carlos could tell Beth already knew what he was going to say.

"Barkers has your sister, Brendon." Carlos did not let any emotion enter his voice or face, but inside he felt a touch of sympathy for them. Barkers was not making friends as he tried to hold onto both his family and gang. The man was losing his grip on everything the tighter he tried to hold onto everything.

"Kat? Why would Barkers take her?" Brendon asked, stepping around Beth to stand beside her, making the obvious size and height difference more noticeable and frankly, a little humorous to the Spaniard.

"Let me guess. He'll give her back when Brendon returns me." Beth said the words mockingly as she dropped Brendon's hand to fold her arms over her chest. Beth loved to play the vulnerable blind girl in the gang, but Carlos knew she was as cunning and ruthless as her father was in his glory days.

Brendon's mouth fell open, clearly out of his depth in the world of gangs, "He's ransoming my sister to take back his daughter? That's ridiculous."

Carlos leaned back against the door frame, "Yet, here I am."

Beth had that calculating gleam in her eye that was so often in Barkers as she chewed on her lip, "We'll have to play along for a bit in order to get her back."

Brendon stared down at her, "Beth, you can't be serious. We're not going back there. I barely escaped with you the first time."

"That's your sister, and she's my family now, too. We need to get her back. He can't just keep her." The blind woman's words were heated, the spark of a fight behind her sightless eyes as she squared her shoulders in determination.

"Oh, very nice, Beth." Carlos remarked, giving a few small claps of his hands, "I like this fire. However, we might have a bit of an ace up our sleeve, you see." He paused, feeling a tad giddy with his news that he learned of that very morning, "The Bronx Gang heir has washed up and he's in love with Katherine Finnegan."

 **A/N: Can you guys tell, yet, that I love Marianas Trench? Fav band. Lol. Oooh, so the hunt is on. Carlos is back in the game and Race knows where his lady is. Will he dish the details? Have you guys any guesses who the mysterious lady could be? Drop me a review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	10. No Place Like Home

Chapter Nine

" _Tell me how I'm gonna get down from here? You only ever just disappear, but I can't let you go."_

-No Place Like Home by Marianas Trench

 _ **August 13**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

"Stay out here. I don't know all the details, but I'm pretty sure your sister did a number on him." Carlos told Brendon as they stood in front of a bar proudly proclaimed _McSorley's Old Ale House Established 1854_.

Brendon nodded, "She's got trust issues after the last bastard left her high and dry."

The Spaniard shrugged, "Trust issues. Don't we all." Before leaving the Irishman outside while he stepped inside the dark, smoky interior of the bar. He searched through the gaunt, shadowed faces for the one he vaguely remembered.

"Can I help ya?" The bartender asked him, eyeing him suspiciously.

Leaning casually against the bar, Carlos removed his hat, "Looking for Blink. Blonde hair, six foot tall." He raised his hand to indicate the man's height.

Nodding, the bartender used a less than clean rag to wipe up a spill to the right of Carlos, "Yeah, we threw him out back. Started a brawl, broke half a dozen tables, and punched the owner's son."

"Wasn't a kid, was it?" Carlos asked, wincing at the fast deterioration of the man. Hell, if it wasn't for Race and Mush looking for him, Carlos probably would have been right here with him to drink away the pain.

The bartender shook his head, "Nah, spoiled brat, sure. But, a full grown man. Most of us were actually quite entertained. That's why we only threw him out back and not to the bulls."

"Thanks." Carlos said, leaving the man a tip for the information and heading towards the back.

It was good he knew where he would be, because Carlos wasn't too sure he'd have recognized the man. Blink's two days of binge drinking had aged him a good twenty years. The generally clean cut, shaved male had quite the facial growth and probably some fungus growth from the smell of him. Carlos had smelled worse, though, so he approached the man anyway and stared down his nose at him. "Ya just gonna drink it all away?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Blink, who'd been sitting on the ground with his back against the wall of the bar, looked up at him with blue eyes that were unfocused, "Fuck yeah."

Raising an eyebrow, Carlos took in the dried blood on his lip, the bruise on his cheek, and the ravaged knuckles that spelled out the fight the Bartender had told him about.

Sighing, Carlos unfolded his arms and put a hand out to him, "You're a little more gone than I'm equipped to handle. Let's get you to someone who can."

Blink smacked away the proffered hand, "I don't need to be _handled_."

"Do you know why I'm here?" Carlos asked, curiously.

Glaring, Blink spit a bit of blood out of his mouth just to the left of Carlos' boot, "Yeah, ya Race's skiptracer friend. I hope he ain't paying for ya services, I sent Dave a message two days ago about where I was."

"They didn't get that message, clearly, or I wouldn't be here. They've been worried sick." Carlos took a page out of his late mother's book and decided to make him feel a bit guilty.

It worked like a charm. "Fine, I'll go with ya. But, only cuz theyse family." Sighing, Blink forced himself to stand but when he took a step, he almost fell over.

Sliding Blink's arm around his shoulder, Carlos hefted the guy up, "If it wasn't for Race, I'd be right here with you."

"Yeah, your girl leave you, too?" Blink muttered, sarcastically.

"Yes, she did."

That shut up the drunk. Carlos hid a smirk as they rounded the bar and Brendon caught sight of the two and headed towards them.

"What's wit' the wall?" The drunk blonde asked, gazing up at the broad shouldered man in front of him.

"Blink, meet Brendon. Brendon, this here is Blink." Pausing, waiting for the reaction, Carlos rolled his eyes at Blink's density, "This is Katherine's brother."

"Don't _fucking_ say her name." Blink roared, pulling away from Carlos to stumble away from both men.

Carlos and Brendon shared a look, "Alright, you probably shouldn't have come." He told Brendon.

Brendon grinned, grabbed Blink before he could bolt, and tossed him over his shoulder in a firemen's carry. "Where are we taking him?"

"Now, I'm glad you _did_ come. To the Benjamin Hotel." Carlos pointed to the direction and they began maneuvering through the crowd, "If you ever need extra cash, I could use some muscle for certain assignments." He told the larger man, ignoring Blink as he complained and cursed them.

"I might take you up on that." Brendon replied.

* * *

Sighing, Mush leaned against the front desk at the Benjamin Hotel, bored because of the slow day and the fact that Blink, who usually left the kitchens to socialize with him, was still missing. It didn't help that they hadn't heard at all from Carlos, making Mush wonder why they even hired the guy if he was going to disappear.

Just as he thought that, the front door opened and Carlos came in, followed closely by a huge man, probably six foot four with broad, hulking shoulders, one of which had a person slung across it. Straightening, Mush watched them head right for him as excitement and hope blossomed in his gut.

"I can fucking walk, ya know." The person slung across his shoulder muttered, the angry, yet familiar voice music to Mush's ear.

"Blink!" Mush exclaimed, taking a second back to yell down the hallway, "David! Call Race, Carlos found Blink!" He hurried around the desk as the large man set Blink on his feet and Mush got his first glimpse of his best friend, "What happened ta ya, Blink?"

Scowling, Blink folded his arms across his chest, "I don't wanna tawk about it, Mush."

Mush Meyers was surprised at the aggressiveness that was in those words. Blink had always been the jovial friend, laughing and joking. Never taking life too seriously. This man in front of him was an entirely different person than the one Mush had known since he was twelve. It actually alarmed Mush to the point he found himself searching for something familiar, "Hang on, I'll get the first aid kit ta clean ya up."

Still sullen and surly, Blink glared after him before turning it onto Carlos and Brendon who stood back a bit.

Mush met David just as he was leaving his office, "I called Race, he's on his way." David told him before taking a second look at Mush, "What's wrong?"

"It's Blink, but…it's not him." Mush told his friend, unable to accurately explain. He moved around David to grab the first aid box. "C'mon." He told the hotelier, interested in seeing David's reaction to their friend.

David's pace slowed just a tad as he saw Blink for the first time since Race's wedding, but he made no comment as they stopped in front of him. Mush set down the box with the bandages and alcohol on a nearby table and moved to clean up Blink's face.

"Carlos." David greeted the skiptracer.

"David." Carlos nodded at him, "This here is Brendon Finnegan." He waved at the man next to him, "Bren, this is David Jacobs, owner of this hotel, and that's Mush Meyers." Mush glanced over as the last name caught his attention, forgetting for a second he had a cotton ball of alcohol pressed against Blink's cut. Blink hissed and he immediately turned his attention back to his friend, but not before he caught the resemblance between the hulking man and Katherine, Clara's maid, in the shape of his eyes and mouth.

Brendon shook David's hand but only nodded in Mush's direction since he was busy cleaning up Blink, "Nice place ya got here, sir. Good to meet ya both."

"Nice to meet you, too. Where did you find him?" David directed that question at Carlos, his head jerking at Blink.

Blink rolled his eyes, "I'm right fucking here." He muttered, wincing as Mush pushed a little too hard on one of the cuts, "Be a little gentle, Mush." He snapped, glaring at his best friend.

Mush quirked an eyebrow in annoyance as he replied, "I wouldn't have to be nothin' if you didn't get into a bar fight from the looks of it."

"Found him at McSorley's and he was in a bar fight." Carlos informed Mush, a little too cheerily.

Ignoring him, Mush continued to clean up Blink, but he couldn't help but notice the deep sadness in his best friend's eyes. Vivian had told him once that anger was a secondary feeling, generally a response feeling to hurt or shame. He opened his mouth to ask Blink who had hurt him, but glanced over to see Carlos watching them both with an assessing gaze and decided it was best to do so when they were in private.

"Let me get you to a room we can clean you up a bit." Mush said, passing a glance to David who subtly nodded.

Blink grumbled, but let Mush lead him to the front desk where he grabbed a key for a room on the first floor and they disappeared down the hallway.

David turned his attention to the skiptracer and Brendon, "I'd like to know everything you know about this whole sordid mess."

Carlos quirked an eyebrow at the demand, the hotelier's blue eyes icy and unforgiving. "I'll tell you…if you help us out."

Narrowing his eyes, David folded his arms across his chest, "I do not like playing games, Fuentes."

"No games." Carlos replied, raising his hands defensively, "But, we need Blink in a solid state of mind if we're going to rescue Brendon's sister here and keep his wife safe."

David surveyed them with a perceptive gaze that actually made Carlos a little wary. He didn't know much about the man in front of him, had only heard that he was a workaholic and that he mostly kept to himself. No ties to any of the gangs around town, uninterested in the politics and inner workings of the city-which was rare for a man so esteemed and wealthy. As a general rule, wealthy men ruled the city, protected their interests, and kept the poor down. David Jacobs was not a man of that general caliber.

He held a rare and interesting position. It peaked Carlos' curiosity.

"Tell me what happened with Blink and I'll think about whether it's in his best interest to help you out." David finally said, his voice strong and his words leaving no room for argument.

Passing a glance to Brendon, Carlos finally nodded, "Alright."

* * *

Silently, Mush handed Blink a towel, a razor, and a new change of clothes. He knew he shouldn't pry right away, to let his friend get himself together before diving into whatever had set him over the edge.

"I'm sorry." Blink said, before leaving the parlor they stood in.

"Sorry foah what, Kid?" Mush asked, surprised. The blonde man had never been good at apologizing.

His back to Mush, his head hanging down, he answered him, "Foah not telling you where I was. I…I coulda swore I sent a messenger to David. I remember tawkin' ta one of the guys in red and paying him…but, I guess he never got here or he couldn't understand the message I was saying…I don't know. It was two days ago and everything has just been…" He trailed off and let out an aggravated breath before leaving the parlor and going into the luxurious bathroom that was equipped in every room of the hotel.

Mush sat down and waited, listening to the sounds of the water splashing. He couldn't believe the change in a man that only four days ago had been laughing and joking with him. The curiosity to know what had happened ate at him. But, he sat still and patient. Just like with Vivian, you had to let those who were hurt find the time to be ready to tell you their story. He could wait it out.

About a half hour passed as he waited, and then a knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts and he opened it to see David and Race, along with a food cart. "Thought he could use some grub." Race said, wheeling the cart in as David followed silently behind.

"Is someone watchin' the front?" Mush asked David.

"Greg came in for his shift. I sent a messenger to Vivian so she would know you'd be late." David replied offhand, his thoughts clearly faraway.

Relieved that David always managed to think of everything, Mush picked a grape from a bowl on the cart and popped it into his mouth just as the bathroom door opened and Blink came out looking nearly like his old self.

"Gangs all here." He said, sardonically, giving Mush a bit of hope that the old Blink wasn't too far gone in his well of sadness.

"You got it, buddy." Race replied, cheerily, "Now, ya gonna tell us what happened? I'm still on my honeymoon, ya know." Tossing himself on a settee, he looked up at Blink expectantly.

The smallest quirk lifted the corner of Blink's mouth, but he didn't follow it to a smile. Sighing, he took a seat in an armchair and closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Awright, so…Katherine and me got taken by Barkers thugs at the wedding." He paused to look over at Race, "I'm sorry we missed the whole reception, man."

Race shrugged, "Not like ya wanted ta be kidnapped."

"Yeah…anyway. We found out her brother, the one out there with Carlos, had run away with Barkers daughter Beth and married her. He couldn't find them, so he kidnapped Katherine to hold her hostage until Beth's returned."

"Why did he keep you?" David asked, his blue eyes calculating.

Blink looked away, seeming to debate answering them before rubbing his forehead and telling them the truth, "My fathah was Barkers right hand man my entiah childhood. I used it as leverage to get him to let me stay with her."

"I didn't know youse grew up in a gang." Mush breathed out, staring at Blink like he was a different man.

Blink glowered, "If they had found me after I left, it was possible they'd kill me. So I didn't exactly promote it."

"Why'd you stay with her when you could have left?" David was on a roll with the questioning, Mush thought, all of them ignoring Blink's biting anger.

"Because I grew up in a gang, David. They don't treat hostages nice all the time and she was a defenseless woman. I couldn't just leave her there." Silence followed his statement as they all absorbed that and Mush felt a hum of pride for his best friend. Maybe some of what Mush had said about his treatment of women had rubbed off on Blink. Finally. "Swifty helped us get out. He joined not too long after the strike but it was the middle of the night so we went ta my place to lay low."

Race and Mush passed a knowing glance at where this was going. They had spent a year and a half watching Blink pursue the one woman who wouldn't give him the time of day. She had always had somewhere to escape him, but any woman spending all that time locked up with him would undoubtedly give in to the smooth-talking charmer that was Kid Blink.

"Ya slept with her." Race finally said after a long stretch of silence.

Standing, Blink began to pace across the floor, "I shoulda never brought her there, should have sent her to one of her brothers and let them deal with that whole fucking mess." He groused.

"Didja break her heart?" Race asked, ignoring his grumblings, "'Cause Clara will probably have my head."

"I did _not_ break her fucking heart." Blink yelled, turning on Race, "She broke _my_ fucking heart when she ran off the next morning."

David, Mush, and Race all stared open mouth at his outburst. Neither one really comprehending that their womanizing friend was saying that his heart was broken. Race, master at breaking silences, coughed and then looked around at them all, "I mean, we was all thinkin' that when ya did fall in love, we hoped she wouldn't make it easy on ya. But, damn, Blink."

Blink sighed and sat back down, "I know."

Mush moved to clap him on the shoulder, "Is there a chance she has real feelings for ya? Can ya win her back?"

Gaze faraway and hopeless, Blink shrugged, "I don't know. But, I don't know if I can do this again. What if she tells me she loves me and then abandons me after giving birth to our first kid?"

The three friends shared a glance, the obvious and specific situation cluing them into the reason for Blink never really letting women close. "Is…is that what happened with ya mothah and fathah?" Mush asked, his voice quiet.

"Yeah." Was the man's short, flat reply.

Mush felt a stab of anger towards Katherine. Even if she hadn't known Blink's mother had abandoned him, she shouldn't have just left him without a goodbye or a reason why. Although, how often had Blink snuck out windows of women's apartments while they slept, unaware their lover would likely never come calling again?

Blink would have the messiest ordeal when falling in love.

"So, ya binge drank away all the pain? That's what I wanted ta do when Clara rejected me, but Jack had ta bring _reason_ into things." Race told Blink, trying to lighten the mood a touch.

"That's why I didn't come see any of you. I didn't want ta hear reason." Blink joked, a slight smile lifting the corner of his mouth. Mush almost sighed out loud in relief.

"I didn't know Clara rejected you." David said to Race.

Race nodded, "Oh, yeah. She was scared of her feelings foah me, they were so strong." He said it so cockily it caused all of them laughed.

The tension broke in the room as they laughed and Mush sat down beside Blink, "Maybe she's just scared ya won't change. That she'll love ya and you'll still chase skirts."

Blink mulled that over. "My fathah never loved anothah woman aftah my ma left. The first day at the bar, I tried ta pick up this one woman and for some reason it felt awful. I think she broke me. How didja go through this, Mush, and still fall in love with Vivian? Weren't ya scared she'd do what the others did?"

Mush smiled at the thought of Vivian, "Nah, she was different than the othahs. She was mean and prickly because she was scared she'd fall for another abusive man and end up locked in a marriage she couldn't get out of."

David cleared his throat, "I talked to Carlos before coming here."

The three still seated all turned to look curiously at David as he expanded on that sentence, "He told me Barkers gang had assumed Katherine would go to Brooklyn or Queens where her two other brothers live. They staked out the Brooklyn bridge. She was close to crossing it when she turned around and started heading back. That's when one of the men tailing her grabbed her. She's been there for two days."

For a second, Blink just sat there, staring open mouthed as David's words sank into his still foggy mind. Before any of them could react, he jumped up and over the sofa that blocked him from the door and would have been out of the room if a wall wasn't blocking the door.

"Hi, Blink." Brendon said as his tiny wife squeezed passed him, Carlos right behind her.

"Tommy." Beth greeted, "Instead of running out and doing something rash, how about we plan a nice surprise for my father, hmm?"

 **A/N: What is this?! A THIRD chapter in one weekend?! I'm out of control, guys. But, I'm having lots of fun with this! Blink's love story is such a hot mess and it's so fun! Now, I'm debating on how to make David's story just as much fun. He's such a stick in the mud, so I'm thinking his lady is going to be wild. Oh, that'll be fun.**

 **Anywho, I was watching Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Friday night and if you want to know what Katherine looks like I'd definitely look up Lily James. She's the actress who plays Elizabeth Bennett and she looks one hundred percent how I pictured Katy! :) Thank you to my faithful, wonderful reviewers Pixielou and coveredinbees! You guys are the best. (Has our fandom lost a lot of people or what? I feel like I used to get mad reviews per chapter for my older stories...) I hope everyone reading is enjoying!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	11. Primetime

Chapter Ten

" _This is the once was, you are the has-been. You keep saying I'm in over my head."_

Primetime by Marianas Trench

 _ **August 14**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

Beth knew she stood in front of Keenan's bar, could hear the familiar sounds of this street that she had grown up on and she gently squared her shoulders. To her right, she could feel the heat of her husband, smell his unique scent that she had fallen in love with the moment they had met, pine and soap. She was comforted by his size and strength, knew that her Brendon was loyal to her as well as a ferocious fighter who would protect her at all costs. For a woman who'd grown up in the brutal life of a gang, that was the most cherished thing a female could ask for.

Brendon's large hand laced through hers and he squeezed hers gently to lend her his strength. She felt a wave of gratitude as she squeezed his back before dropping it. Usually, she carried around a cane to feel for obstacles in her way, but since she knew the layout of this place she had decided to forgo it in order to appear more confident and grounded. When it came to life in a gang, appearances met a lot.

And she was about to go head to head with her father. Barkers had been the leader of the Bronx Gang for over twenty years. Had fought off contenders to his throne, had kept his men in line, had built this gang up from a tiny group of men to a force to be reckoned with. Who was she to oppose him?

Her stomach flipped as she climbed the stairs, silently counting them so she didn't trip. Beth liked to think that if she hadn't lost her eyesight at so early an age, she could have grown up to take her father's gang regardless of her gender. She believed she would have thrived, been the next Hell-Cat Maggie, if not for her unfortunate turn of events. Sometimes, she felt an ache of bittersweet at what her failed vision made her lose.

Brendon's sudden hand on her elbow caused her to pull up short and she listened as he pushed a chair out of her way. Love warmed and strengthened her. Had she grown up to be the next Hell-Cat Maggie, there was a good chance she wouldn't have chosen Brendon. She could not bear that thought. Her Brendon was far too sweet; she would have probably looked right through him, not to mention maybe never settling down with any man at all.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"Ya most welcome, ya ladyship." He whispered back in her ear, causing a shiver to run down her spine. She loved the sound of his deep, lilting Irish accent.

 _Keep your head on your shoulders, Beth_ , she inwardly ordered. She had to play her part or they'd never make it out of here. Her hand brushed briefly over her stomach before she started forward once more. She _had_ to make it out of here, could not be stuck under her father's thumb ever again. Not when so many were depending on her.

* * *

Blink, Carlos, Swifty, and David sat at a table in the back corner of the basement of Keenan's bar. Swifty and an older guy named Sam, who had been a good friend of Blink's father, had managed to get them in early that morning and they had been pretending to be gang members just boozing and playing cards until Barkers got in.

The old rat bastard had taken forever to show up, the years of stress taking a toll on him or so it appeared. How he hadn't been overthrown, yet, was a testament to the loyalties of the men around them. Yet, the longer they hung out down there, the more Blink could see of the growing restlessness and resentment that was being quietly stoked among the men.

Barkers had been slacking the last few years, that was obvious. The biggest problem that he had heard, though, had been with Barkers right-hand man, Robert Ridley, just last year. The same Robert Ridley who had tried to kidnap Vivian _after_ Mush had come to pay her debt. It seemed as though everyone had been aware of the man's mental decline except for Barkers. Or perhaps Barkers had noticed and chose not to do a damn thing about it. Not even after many had repeatedly complained of Ridley acting out aggressively at the women, both wives of the men and the showgirls who danced in the evenings for the men's entertainment. Ridley had even assaulted Beth at one point, right before the Vivian instance, and still Barkers had overlooked it.

He had even overlooked the fact that his men had taken care of Ridley. Carlos had told Sam of Vivian's attack and Sam, along with a few of the men whose wives had been victims to Ridley, had silenced the man forever.

David's eyes looked up as footsteps sounded on the stairs. Blink followed his gaze to watch as Beth and Brendon descended the stairs. He felt a rush of adrenaline knowing things were about to come to a head. He only wished he could send word to Katherine, to ease her mind. Swifty had hedged at telling him how she was doing and that had only made him worry more. The helpless feeling at not being able to barge right in and rescue her was wearing on his nerves and he prayed Beth would get this over with so he could get her out and take her home.

Barkers attention was caught by his daughter and he looked her over sharply, also taking in her hulking husband beside her. His eyes slid between the two as his mouth twisted with a sneer. "Daughter."

"Father, I come beseeching your blessing on our marriage." Her voice was strong and loud in the basement and it silenced all those around them.

His sneer remained as he turned it from Brendon to her, "Ain't ya supposed ta ask me that before ya marry?"

Beth regarded the direction his voice came from with shrewd, blind eyes, "I believed you wouldn't approve. I was hoping, given some time to adjust, you would forgive me for doing what I've done."

Blink wanted to sigh as they plodded through their word play, a panic building inside him as he continued to think of Katherine in that cell, all alone and going on the third day as their captive.

"Ya right, I don't approve." Barkers all but bit out, a scowl deepening the wrinkles on his face. But, he sat back in his chair and regarded them just a tad thoughtfully. The entire basement waited for his next words.

Praying for a miracle, Blink watched. Beth and her father had a rather complicated relationship, from what he could remember. Barkers had a wife when he had started up the Bronx gang, just as Blink's father, John, had married Blink's mother. The couples had been young, in love, and excited at the future, or so Blink had been told by Sam. But, shortly after Blink's mom had walked out, leaving the gang to raise him, Barkers' wife died in childbirth.

So, they were both stuck with children and no women to raise them. Blink could have almost laughed at the picture that painted in his head. He wasn't entirely sure how they survived infancy, tried to imagine babies being bounced on the knees of thieves and drug runners.

And then, at the age of five, for no real rhyme or reason that any doctors could tell them, Beth had woken up blind.

One day, she had seen everything and the next…darkness. Blink couldn't count the number of times he'd held her as she cried. He was only happy she had been blind to the looks of pity people sent her after that day. Her pride, she had said, was all she had left. She let her anger and despair fuel her through the hard times. Barkers had been even more at a loss for how to handle such circumstances. He'd barely known what to do with a daughter to begin with, let alone one who had suddenly lost her vision.

Finally, Barkers spoke, "I've decided that in ordah ta be forgiven, he must undergo initiation."

Blink hid his grimace behind his cards as he watched. Beth was as cunning and shrewd as women came and she had the added bonus of knowing her father better than anyone else. She had known all along what her father would demand of Brendon. Initiation was pretty much the same for any gang; you had to be soaked in.

Barkers glanced towards one of his men in the back of the basement and motioned to him. Blink recognized Sam, who turned and went down the hall where the cell was that he and Katherine had stayed in and where she probably was now. He felt queasy as he realized Barkers was going to make her watch.

"Wait." Beth's voice rang out, silencing everyone with its strength. "Before you initiate a new member, I have decided to challenge for leadership."

Barkers face fell, "What?" His voice was deeper, gruffer.

She squared her shoulders, "I will play my card that I am blind, as well as pregnant, so I request a champion of the gang to fight on my behalf."

David, Swifty, and Blink all shared a glance. The plan had been to have Brendon get initiated and get Katherine. This was not a part of the plan. Generally speaking, champions didn't happen very often. Men rarely wanted to fight numerous others so that someone _else_ got the leadership. The last time that had happened...had been when John Knight had fought for William 'Barkers' Bailey. John was the one who had bled for the gang, was the one who stayed loyal to Barkers for two decades. He was the one who had died because of Barkers.

Glowering Barkers growled, "And who here would fight for _you_ against _me_?"

"I call forward, as my champion, Thomas Knight."

* * *

Katherine stared at the wall, her wrists aching from the iron cuffs around them, her stomach gnawing from hunger. In a day or so, she was sure she'd starve to death. It was going on five days without food, the only thing they brought her was the occasional bowl of filthy water. Shameful as it was, she drank it. She did not have the energy or will to care if it was dirty or to wonder if they put something in it. She was also weak and tired, but strangely enough, unable to sleep. Her mouth had the coppery taste of blood from the hits she'd sustained when Barkers had demanded to know how they had escaped. Abuse and starvation are what she would get until she came forward with the name of the betrayer.

She refused to give Swifty away. Knew Blink wouldn't break on this, so she held onto that thought as she remained closed mouth on the subject. Swifty had tried to thank her by attempting to pass food to her, but she had refused that as well. She did not want to risk Blink's friend getting caught. Her only hope was that Blink would somehow find out where she was and come save her. Or maybe her brother would come and they'd sort out this mess.

Either way, there wasn't much she could do in her current situation but starve. For someone who had been in control of her life for so long, Katherine hated this helpless feeling. Why hadn't she stayed curled up beside Blink? Why hadn't she given him the benefit of the doubt, trusted what he told her, and seen where things could have left them?

The small, rectangle slot on the door opened, and she gazed up into a pair of blue eyes. Disappointment blossomed in her chest because they were not the wild blue eyes of the sea that she was hoping for.

"C'mon, girlie. Lookin' like yer ta be ring side fer the show." The gruff voice of the man who had kidnapped her two days ago filtered through and her slow, sleep and food deprived mind tried to wrap around what he was saying.

"Show?" She croaked out as he opened the door, keys to free her hands held in his own.

"That brother o'yers is going to fight for initiation inta the gang."

A shiver of revulsion rocked her at the prospect, aware that to be initiated meant to be beaten by the gang. "No." She gasped as he removed the cuffs. Wearily, she rubbed her wrist and let him help stand her up, "He can't. My brother can't be in a gang."

"It's what Barkers demands. The price for runnin' away." The man's blue eyes were sad, his soul seeming much older and wearier than he actually was.

Shoulders falling, Katherine let him lead her down the hallway to the basement area the men hung out in. She was only glad it was this man and not Lefty, who had been repeatedly harassing her these last few days of captivity. As they got closer, she could hear an uproar of voices and she tried to brace for the inevitable viewing of her brother. Although he was built like a wall, Brendon was more genial and carefree than most thought when they caught view of his size. It was quite common for them to be fearful of him at first sight but after talking to him and seeing what a big sweetheart he was...oh, she did not wish to see this at all.

Nausea almost overwhelmed her, but she bit her cheek to keep herself in line. The older man opened the door and ushered her through and the sight that greeted them was not what she expected.

"What happened? I was gone two seconds." The man asked someone by the door.

"Beth is challenging with Johnny Knights kid as her champion!" The guy explained, excitement coloring his tone as they all looked to the center of the basement where men had formed a circle.

"Thomas?" Katherine asked, stunned a second before pushing through the crowd to have her own eyes prove what the man said.

Blink was there in the middle, wearing dark brown trousers and a light blue button up. He was currently rolling up his sleeves as Beth whispered in his ear, but as soon as Katherine broke the crowd, his gaze locked on hers, "Katy." He said, taking a few steps in her direction just as someone grabbed her.

"Now, now." Barkers bit out, his hand a vice around her wrist, "Ya not free, yet."

"But, Beth's back. That was the deal." Katherine felt the adrenaline push the fog from her mind and she no longer felt fear for herself. Only for Blink, "That was the deal." She shot a glare at the Bronx man.

"Deals change, missy." He grunted, before shoving her towards Lefty.

Blink was watching the exchange with a wrathful look that would have sent most men running, "Hurt one more fucking hair on her Barkers, and I'll come foah ya throat."

Grunting, Barkers returned the glare, "Get through my men first, kid."

 **A/N: Guys, I went to Chicago to see Newsies and it was amazing! And I got to see Holden Court (ya know where Jack was living?) and I took a pic of it. So cool to see after I had randomly picked it off google maps to use in my story! Anyway, let me all know what you think of this chapter! Idk why but I enjoy Beth immensely. Can you imagine her as a cutthroat gang leader like I can? Please Review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	12. Far From Here

Chapter Eleven

" _And I wondered why you came for all this after so long. When it ripped into you like the son you never were. And I don't think this is what you wanted now."_

Far From Here - by Marianas Trench

 _ **August 14**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

"Whatya got goin' through that head of yours, Bailey?" Blink whispered to Beth after he'd sat in total shock at the sound of his name coming from her lips. Every gang member had looked around for him, unbelieving it was actually John Knight's son.

Until he stepped forward. Except for his eyes, he was the spitting image of his father. He knew it, had watched himself grow from an awkward teenager into an exact replica of the man he remembered. It had stopped him in the mirror a few times as he tried to reconcile how eerily similar they were.

He hoped now that it was only in looks and not in love.

"It's Finnegan now." She told him, also whispering. "And I'm not gonna lie, this was my plan all along. But, I didn't think you'd walk in here knowing it."

He scowled lightly at her, "Ya bet your ass I wouldn't have."

She leaned closer to whisper her plan, "Look, my father's hold has been loosening the last few years and I wasn't sure any challenge would bring them around…until Carlos told me you had shown up. They need this hope. Twenty-five years ago a Bailey and Knight took on the previous leader and that was followed with twenty-five years of prosperity. If history repeats itself, this can only be a good thing."

Blink found himself scoffing, "Prosperity? My fathah died eleven years aftah. _Because_ of this gang. He risked everything foah Barkers and he wound up in an early grave."

Beth's blind eyes narrowed, "I will tell you the full story, after you win this."

Instead of answering her, he found himself meeting Barkers eyes, "I accept the champion position." He announced so the whole basement could hear.

The men roared as they began crowding around them to form a ring and Blink squared his shoulders and began rolling up his sleeves. He had just been in a bar fight, so he knew he could still brawl as good as he used to, but he hadn't done as much lately as he had as a newsie.

"He's going to make a call for his most loyal men to fight for him. This shows unity and if the numbers are high, it shows us that his hold is strong and that would mean it is unlikely that you will win. If his number is low, you have a chance." She paused to look slightly thoughtful, "Some won't fight because they might have hope our leadership will gain them a higher standing in the gang, so they'll stand by. But, that gamble could hurt them if Barkers does win and punishes the ones who didn't fight." Beth finally finished her lecture by adding, "You probably won't fight him. As leader, you have others fight for you, that's the way the Bronx gang works, but they have to believe you're worth fighting for."

Blink found himself giving her a droll stare, even if she couldn't see it, "I grew up in this gang, Beth. I know what's what."

"I'm giving you a refresher course." She snapped, all fire. "Now listen, Rick will fight for him without a doubt. He has a mean right uppercut he uses right after you dodge his left punch, Sam could volunteer, if so, he's getting older so one kick to the hip and he'd go down-"

Blink tried to hide his wince at the thought of hurting Sam, who'd always been kind to him and had helped sneak them in this morning, but listened intently as Beth continued, vaguely hearing Barker's call for his own fighters, "Lefty is disgusting. He's a wild card because he's fucking insane-"

Any other time he'd make a comment about her language, but his eyes snagged on a figure that had just broke the circle of men, "Katy!" He found himself yelling, stepping towards her as his eyes met her beautiful, brown ones. The look on her face was a combination of hope, horror, and worry.

It gave him hope that maybe she returned his feelings.

She was jerked back by Barkers, his large hand engulfing her entire wrist. Blink felt a cold rage wash over him, and he used it to fuel the energy he'd need for this fight. "Now, now. Ya not free yet." Barkers told her.

"But, Beth's back. That was the deal." He barely heard her over the calls of bets the men were taking, but watched as she repeated, "That was the deal." He did not like how thin she looked, how gaunt her face was, how stringy and unwashed her hair looked; she had not been taken care of here.

"Deals change, missy." Blink's blood simmered at Barkers reply and the way he shoved her at Lefty, the asshole who had repeatedly harassed her when they had been kept together. His heart stuttered at the thought of how that man could have treated her when Blink hadn't been around the last two days.

A new wave of rage washed over him as Lefty leered down at her. This, Blink could get behind. Maybe not Beth and her all-consuming need to take over her father's legacy, but for Katherine…for his Katherine he could fight an army for her. "Hurt one more fucking hair on her Barkers, and I'll come foah ya throat." He called out to him.

Grunting, Barkers returned the glare, "Get through my men first, kid."

"Gladly." Blink found himself muttering, turning back to look at Beth, who stood there patiently, as if she were just waiting for a trolley. "What else, Beth?"

A slight smirk pulled up the corners of her mouth. "Does Barkers have your lady, Knight?"

"Lemme guess, Carlos told you that as well." What the hell _didn't_ Carlos know?

She only smiled serenely at him, "Are you going to pay attention now? We don't have much time."

"Yeah, I'm paying attention." He folded his arms and leaned down to listen as he kept one eye across the ring to where Katherine was being held. Luckily, Sam had stepped in between her and Lefty and was keeping a close eye on the gang member.

Beth quickly went over each of the guys he was going to fight as they volunteered, listing off any weaknesses and secret moves they were known for using. Blink cataloged them in his mind as he gazed over the crowd. Bets were still being taken, and Barkers looked angrier than he'd ever seen him as he called out the names of men who might agree to fight for him.

All together, Blink found himself against six of Barkers most loyal men. If he beat them all, they would win. It was not, Beth assured him, a losing number. She had long since calculated that if you were up against seven or more, the chances of taking leadership were slim. Lucky for them, the continuing decline of Barkers leadership could have saved them a few fights.

Well, not 'them', Blink.

Sighing, he rolled his neck and shoulders back and attempted to warm up a bit before the first fight. He was doing this for Katherine, he chanted silently. He was fighting for her and only her today.

* * *

 _"I will softly pull away from this broken, beautiful mess I've made..."_

-Masterpiece Theater II by Marianas Trench

Across town, another man was squaring up to fight for his own love. Carlos Fuentes had learned the very day Mush and Racetrack had stopped to see him exactly where she was. There was no other place she could have been if Racetrack knew her location. Now, he faced the Italian man and gazed at him expectantly.

He wondered if Race would lie to protect her, or if he'd keep his word and help Carlos. After all Carlos had done for him, he hoped the man wouldn't betray him.

"She's at my old place. Staying with Jack." Race told him, eyeing Carlos up for a reaction.

"I know." Carlos said, holding the man's brown eyes. "But, thank you, Race."

Sighing, he gave Carlos a droll stare, "Just…just be gentle. Ya hurt her."

Closing his eyes at the thought of how he'd hurt her, he turned away, "She hurt me, too…" He paused, because he wasn't going to tell Race, but he made the mistake of glancing back at a man who was so different from the best friend he'd had as a child and suddenly the words, the truth, slipped from his mouth, "But, I don't want to fight with her, I just want to fix this."

"I hope you can." Race told him.

The bleakness in his tone did not give Carlos hope and he wondered as he headed to Race's old apartment if this would be futile. If seeing her rejection rather than her absence would send him into the cold blackness that he knew awaited his soul if he could not reclaim her love. He didn't know if she would give him the time to explain, if she would let him show her that he wasn't the villain he had painted himself to be during the last fight they had. That, though he had been lying since they met, he was going to change for the better for her.

Carlos Fuentes was going to change his story. Trade in his villainous ways to be a hero. For her.

But, as he stood across the street of the apartment building, he felt a strange sense that he had well and truly lost her. His mother had always told him that instinct was the future whispering warnings and all you had to do was know when to listen. Walking forward, he knew he should go through the front door but instead his feet took him beside the building where he reached for the fire escape and pulled himself up. Up to the third floor, creeping like the villain he couldn't seem to fight within him.

Taking a breath, he peered through the window and felt his breath catch in his throat.

The scene before him was enough to shred what was left of his heart. They were just sitting down for soup. He could see Hazel's small, round face from his spot at the window, Jack seated beside her with his face in profile; the silvery scar on his cheek more pronounced from the summer sun…and her. Standing between the two as she ladled soup into bowls for them. She wore a pretty, but well-worn apron dotted with bouncing cherries, her beautiful blonde hair swept up and away from her face.

The sight of her made his heart ache. He felt his eyes take in every detail of her, soaking her in because he knew, knew without a shadow of a doubt, that he could not force her away from here. She finally had what she had always craved.

A family.

Jack Kelly could very well be the handsome knight who'd saved her from the villain. Carlos let jealousy stab his mangled heart as he said something and both girls laughed.

Slowly, Carlos stood and moved away from the scene he could no longer look at. Gently, he pulled out his last letter from her, the letter she had sent him before coming to live with him.

 _September 12_ _th_ _, 1906_

 _My Dearest Carlos,_

 _With each letter we have shared, I catch glimpses of the man I saw that fateful January day. Although you like to gently make fun of yourself for your flaws, I will always remember your biggest flaw is what led you to me. You will disagree, as you have in the past, but I see the goodness in your soul. I know you yearn for kindness such as you have shown me. What other man would brave a blubbering woman in an alley to soothe her tears? No other is as brave as my Carlos. It maybe forward of me but I hope one day_

Carlos' fingers swept across those words, savoring the sweetness and wishing he could know what she had hoped for from him. It was bittersweet that her words had been interrupted before he could know, even more so once her words started back up an inch or so down the page. Here, here is where the universe had cut her while in turn deciding to save him. He could all but see the way her letters looked slightly crooked, as if written with a shaky hand.

 _I am sorry, Carlos. I began to write those words above and now I do not know where I was going with them. All I can think of is the sorrow in my heart, and the despair for my future. Remember when you said to me that pretty women should never have a reason to cry? Those words have locked my tears from coming._

 _Today…oh, writing the words make it even more real. Today I buried my father. We fought constantly and maybe people would not consider us a family but he was MY family, Carlos. All that I had. And now I cannot stay here in this apartment building. He owed too much debt to the bank and this place will go to them. I'll be homeless and stranded far away from you…the only light in my life._

 _All I've ever wanted was a family._

 _What do I do, Carlos? What are my options?_

 _Love always,_

 _Sophie Thomas_

Pulling a pencil out of his back pocket, Carlos scribbled a last farewell letter to her on the last letter she ever wrote him, slipped it in the window seal and escaped silently down the fire escape before he could change his mind.

 **A/N: Now you all know who Carlos' lady love is!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	13. Push

Chapter Twelve

" _It'll wear you down and wear you down. You chase it, breathing in and out and in and out. They'll push you up against the wall, against the wall."_

-Push by Marianas Trench

Round one.

Blink found himself face to face with a rough looking man in his early 30s. Given the name other men were shouting, this would be Jungle Joe. Beth had said his fighting style was more akin to a wild beast than a man, which might explain the nickname. He wasn't fast, but he was strong. Her only suggestion was to be quick, tire him out, and then take him down before he could recover.

Blink almost rolled his eyes at that, but knew the effect would be lost to her blind sight. Easy for her to give pointers when she wasn't the one fighting. But, she did have a lot of faith in him; she seemed to trust that he could win a parade of fights against six men. That and Katherine would have to be enough to get him through this. Losing was not an option at this point.

Jungle Joe fought just like a beast, charging right at Blink without a second's hesitation. Blink, loving the feel of the adrenaline rush, lithely sidestepped the rush, and took advantage of the man's surprise by giving his legs a swift kick and sending him to the ground. Turning the man over, he got a few nice punches into the man's face before Joe managed to roll away and get back to his feet.

Feeling a tug of regret that he hadn't made sure the man had stayed down, Blink raised his fist, already feeling the strange sense of calm that came when he fought. It was the polar opposite of one of his panic attacks, he felt centered and in control as he dodged and traded hits with the man. He could feel the sting as Joe's fist connected to his jaw and the taste of blood filled his mouth.

He let the coppery taste fill his mouth and instead of spitting it out, he grinned at Joe and let the blood slide down his throat. The almost crazy gleam in his eye had Joe hesitating.

Another advantage. Blink went for him, pummeling him down to the ground until he wouldn't get up.

Standing, he looked towards Barkers, "Next!" He called out.

Round Two.

Charlie Garrison. Late twenties, short, broad shouldered and with fists that hit you like an iron hammer. Blink would avoid those fists. He wasn't about to take a beating this early on. Charlie was going to learn he had his own mean hits, his own moves.

Charlie Garrison didn't last two minutes. But, Blink knew that the black eye Charlie left for him would last at least two weeks.

Round Three.

Blink would savor this one. Albert stood up to fight him. "Albie Baker." He taunted, watching the man's eyes darken at the old nickname. This guy had been the neighborhood bully when Blink was growing up. Once when they were eight, Blink had found him tossing kittens into the Hudson and he had soaked the asshole in order to save the final kittens life.

Now, he would soak him for standing up for Barkers.

Right before he slugged the last blow that would send Albie into unconsciousness, he murmured for his ears alone, "Meow, fucker."

A blood-filled grimace pulled across his mouth as he looked for his next fight, except Beth was motioning him over.

"You get a ten-minute break in the middle." She told him when he got to her, handing him a glass.

He swigged the bourbon, reveling in the burn of the alcohol as it mixed with the blood and stung the cuts in his mouth from the numerous hits, "How's Katy doing?" He asked, unable to look over at her, wondering if she was disgusted by his own rather animalistic fighting style, until he realized Beth couldn't see to tell him.

His eyes almost moved to her, but Brendon came forward, "She's fine, I've been keeping an eye on her." Brendon handed Blink a towel as he addressed Beth, "It should be me fighting out there." He told her sternly.

She smirked, "You'll get your turn, Brendon. You'll need to be initiated when I become leader."

When. Not if. Blink couldn't help but grin. He was sore, bruised, and he was sure his face wouldn't be the handsome mug Katherine was used to but things would heal. He was halfway through, three more men to go. He took another gulp of bourbon as David pushed through the crowd, "Blink."

"Enjoyin' the show, Dave?" He asked his old friend.

"Be careful. I saw that skinny, dirty guy slip a blade in his pocket." David told him, his ice blue eyes keeping a sharp eye over Blink's shoulder.

"That's Lefty." Blink told him, finishing the glass, "Thanks, Davey. I'll keep an eye out for it, but he's who I'm achin' the most to sink my fists into."

Round Four.

Round four was a blur of fists and kicks, the roar of the crowd drowning out Blink's heavy breaths. He couldn't remember the name of the man, could only remember the satisfaction as he went down and didn't get back up.

He ignored the pain in his knuckles, the ache of his muscles, and the throbbing of each hit and bruise. Blink told himself every hit was worth it if it meant Katherine might have feelings for him, if he allowed himself to hope that she had been coming back for him before getting picked back up by Barkers men.

Making the mistake of glancing over, he caught her gaze as she watched him. Her dark eyes were round and wide, but her face didn't show disgust at him, only awe. He felt a rush of pride that she was awed by his fighting. It was so incredibly egotistical of him and yet, he couldn't help it. She gave him a small, encouraging smile. She blocked her mouth and pointed to Lefty, mouthing something. Knife? Was she warning him about the knife?

He gave her a nod, letting her know he knew.

And then he did something he'd never done before. He blew her a kiss.

Her blush, the way her eyes sparkled at him, that would get him through the rest of this fight.

Round Five.

Rick. The one with the mean right uppercut he always threw right after a left punch. Blink cracked his neck and face off against him, glad Sam had not volunteered. Although, he did wonder, why would Barkers let Rick, one of his longest and most loyal men, go before Lefty? That was a slap in the face to the older man.

Unless Barkers was using Lefty's little knife slip as a last resort to secure his leadership.

That wouldn't work. The idiots. Blink would defeat five out of six men and if they turned the tables and used an underhanded stab at keeping his title as leader, pun intended…well, then the gang would revolt.

Either way, Beth would come out as leader. Blink had almost proven he fought for a leader that was more worthy than Barkers. Their knife trick would only serve as a mild inconvenience for him.

He hoped.

Too busy going this over in his mind, Blink forgot about the one very important thing Beth had taught him about Rick-and ended up going down with that uppercut.

Groaning, he laid there a moment. A moment too long. The fights were catching up, along with the bar fight from the day before. All of it piling on him. But, he had to move, had to keep fighting. Seeing Rick about to stomp on him, he pushed himself to roll out of the way.

Rick missed his stomach, but came down on Blink's hand. A sick crunching noise rang out, silencing the crowd for the briefest moment. Biting back the urge to yell, Blink pulled his hand to himself, ignored the pain and stood to face Rick.

He pulled up a memory of Katherine, the one of her in his bed, tears in her eyes, her face distraught as she recanted her dream of them being captured by Barkers and him being dead. Treasuring how upset she was at the possibility of losing him, he used it to recall back that icy calm he had earlier, letting it soothe the injuries of now so that they could have a future.

Blink lunged at Rick, pulling his knee up so when he landed on top of Rick, it jammed into his stomach. It left him as Blink had wanted it to-breathless and unable to counter. Using all of his strength, he brought his fists down on Rick's head until the man was unconscious.

He stood, looked towards Lefty and, ignoring the pain of his mangled hand, crooked his finger at the man.

Round Six.

The final round. Blink could tell Lefty was wondering if he'd made the right decision. But, it was too late for that. Blink remembered the times Lefty had grabbed at Katherine, remembered her confession about Clara's ex-fiance's harassment, and funneled his anger into this fight.

He let Lefty make the first move. He ducked, but didn't return a swing of his own. Blink felt the need to play with Lefty, to dangle him, to let him believe he stood a chance. But, Lefty would never win. This Blink he fought was stronger than he'd ever been because he realized a truth with each fight.

Love could be a weakness. As it had been for his father. Or it could be the greatest source of strength. As it was for him right now.

He burned with the anger that this man had dared threaten the only woman he had ever loved. Lefty would regret it. Regret ever touching a woman without her explicit permission.

"Fight!" Lefty muttered, throwing another punch, which Blink easily dodged. With each missed attempt, Lefty grew more frustrated, his punches and kicks getting sloppy as Blink continued to sidestep, avoid, or block each one. "FIGHT ME!" He all but screamed, lunging at Blink in a similar way as the previous fight.

One problem, Blink wasn't Rick, and Lefty was too angry to manage what he had done previously. He once more moved out of Lefty's way and watch as the man tumbled to the ground. "Get up." He commanded, voice cold.

Lefty lifted up till he was on all fours and then stayed there as if he was collecting himself. Blink prepared himself for the inevitable brandishing of the knife.

It never came. Lefty got up quickly, his hands searching his pockets and body for a knife he couldn't find. He looked towards Barkers, his face stark. Barkers glared, his gaze turning to look to his left.

At Katherine.

She pressed herself against the wall, trying to be invisible. Blink had seen her do that a few times during Clara's engagement party. His Katherine did not like to be at the center of attention. He would take back their attention.

Growling, he went for Lefty, taking the man by surprise and tackling to the ground. He turned the man so he was on his back and gave him a nice right hook to the face before leaning over him, "Not so mighty without that knife, hmm?"

Lefty struggled underneath him but Blink ignored him as he began to beat on him. Tuning the world out, Blink followed the fury to a muted place where he dealt out Lefty's pain until the man no longer moved beneath him.

An arm slid around his waist and lifted him, bringing him back to the loud noise of a cheering crowd as Beth proclaimed, "My champion won, father. I bid you to leave and never come back."

Brendon set him down on his feet and raised his arm in the air. The crowd was deafening.

"Thomas!" Katherine pushed through the crowd to reach him, throwing her arms around him. He barely managed to keep his balance, but he wrapped his arms around her, savoring her scent and her body pressed against his.

"I'm bleeding on you." He told her.

The gang was leaving the bar basement, Beth ahead of them with Brendon to see her father out. Blink watched, wondering how she could be so cold to her own father, but was distracted by Katherine's smile, "I'm just glad you're alright."

The fights caught up to him and he gasped as his knees weakened and Katherine tried to hold him up. David reached them just in time to take Blink's weight from her and she stepped back as Swifty grabbed hold of Blink's other side.

"Where to?" David asked, "Your place or the Ben?"

"The Ben." Blink breathed out, gasping at all of the pain that hit him now that he wasn't fighting for Katherine's freedom. "Mush is there, don't want him to worry."

"Boots is outside with his carriage. Said he'd take us wherever." Swifty told them as they headed for the stairs.

Blink glanced back to see Katherine standing there, a lost, worried look on her face as she gazed around the empty basement. "Don't tell me ya wanna stay down here? C'mon. We'll get ya fed and cleaned up at the hotel." He called to her, gritting his teeth as David jostled him and agony spread throughout his body.

Concern lit her eyes at his grimace and she hurried to follow them.

Just as they got Blink into the carriage, he saw black spots dance at the edges of his eyes. "Dave." He said as Katherine climbed in and David followed, "Tell Chef Bernard to cook whatever Katy wants to eat. That's an order from me he better follow."

And then he blacked out.

 **A/N: Soooo, there's the fight! How'd I do? I read some tips on fight scenes and they said sometimes it's best to leave the fight scenes a little vague so the reader's imagination can fill it in. Thank you thank yous go out to my wonderful reviewers Pixielou, coveredinbees, and my guest reviewer! Hope I didn't keep you guys waiting too long!**

 **Please let me know what you think is a review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**

 ***I've honestly given up on disclaimers. Obviously I don't own Newsies.**


	14. Who Do You Love

Chapter Thirteen

" _I'll say good bye to my demons and all my break evens, ever yours. I won't come back to you broken, I won't stay away too long. Even if words I've spoken seem to still come out wrong."_

-Who Do You Love by Marianas Trench

Katherine opened the carriage door when they stopped and came face to face with Mush Meyers, who'd been waiting for them anxiously.

He looked relieved when he saw her safe, and helped her down out of the carriage. She watched as his face fell when his eyes beheld the prone form of Blink.

"You got him?" David asked, and she watched as David and Swifty passed Blink to Mush, who hefted his best friend in his arms, gently, and headed for the hotel. Katherine hurried ahead to grab the door for him, not even sparing a glance back at David or Swifty as they clambered out of the carriage behind them.

"Thanks." Mush bit out at her and she hesitated in following him for a second, unsure where the hostility was coming from.

Did Mush blame her for Blink's beaten state? She shook her head and followed him in, keeping space between them, but sticking close to Blink.

Mush led them back to a first floor suite, somehow managing to hold Blink and turn the key in the door to open it. He carried Blink in but not before he kicked the door shut behind him, slamming it closed right in her face.

Katherine stared at the door, her shoulders sagging, as she pressed her hand against the smooth wood. David came up beside her and she looked up in time to see the pity in his blue eyes. "C'mon. Let's get you some food."

Nodding, she followed him away, casting one last glance at the door. She probably looked like hell, anyway, she inwardly argued with herself. She'd come see him when she had cleaned up.

"I'd say don't take it personal, but in this case it kind of is." David told her, leading her through the restaurant to the back kitchen doors.

"What did I do?" She remembered Mush always being kind to her, couldn't even imagine him being angry at anyone let alone her.

David didn't respond right away, just continued to escort her through the kitchens to a small, solitary office in the back. He motioned her to sit in the chair behind the desk as he went to talk to a man in a chef's hat who stood over a large pot of what looked like soup.

Both men came back and the chef, a short man with wide, brown eyes and his chin length sandy brown hair pulled back in a tie gave her a formal bow. "Ms. Finnegan, what can I make for you?" His French accent was thick and it took her a moment to process what he asked.

"Uh, just whatever you have. I haven't eaten in so long I'm not sure I would appreciate your excellent cooking." She told him, uneasy at being treated like an upper class lady. She had been cooking and cleaning since she before she was tall enough to see over the counter, being one of those served was not what she was used to.

He bowed again to her and then looked at David, "Should I make something for when Mr. Knight wakes?"

David nodded, "His favorite, please. Thank you, Chef Bernard."

He bowed again and left. David turned and looked at her steadily for a moment, just standing there at the door. He must have seen her misery because he sighed and made up his mind about what to say. "Look, Katherine, Mush has just been protective of Blink since he went missing and the fact that this is the second time he's shown up in a day looking like hell because of you…Mush is going to be a little rough around the edges."

"The second time?" She asked, wondering if she wanted to know about the first time.

David's eyes turned wintry as he told her flatly, "He went on a drinking binge when you abandoned him. You broke his heart."

Standing, she felt suddenly cornered at the almost accusatory tone behind those last four words, "I was _protecting_ mine! You would have run, too, if he told you that you were the first female in his apartment and then the first door knock not ten hours later is a young, attractive blonde." Her words were angry and defensive, reverberating through the small office.

"Blonde and young?" David inquired after a minute of silence, watching her so astutely she found herself tugging at the sleeves on her shirt.

"Yes."

David leaned against the wall, "Blink's landlord has four blonde daughters. They are the only females he steers clear of. If I remember correctly, Charlotte's the youngest and she's had a crush on him since he moved in."

"Ch-charlotte?" Katherine stuttered out, feeling like she was going to be sick. Of course. She had been too scared to stay and find out who the girl was, had let fear drive her out that window and away from him. She found herself sitting heavily down on the chair, too dehydrated to even cry about what she'd done to him.

The hotelier sighed, "His mother left his father right after she gave birth to him. He's never let any woman close since."

But, he had let _her_ get close. He had snuggled her, had given her kisses and pleasure, had comforted her after her nightmare. She couldn't believe that out of all the women in the city, he had let her through his defenses. Trusting her with his heart that had never been entrusted to another.

And she had runaway from him.

She had gone and cut him as deep as the mother he never knew had cut him. How could he forgive her after such a thoughtless, heartless act?

Without consciously thinking about it, she was moving, pushing passed David and running through the kitchen, the restaurant, and the lobby until she was banging on the door Mush had taken Blink through.

"What the hell?" Mush thundered, wrenching the door open and glowering down at her.

She glared right back at him, "I'm staying with him." Shoving him aside, she went through the foyer to the bedroom and was surprised the doctor was already there, looking him over.

He was still unconscious. "How is he?" She asked, softly.

The doctor barely looked up at her, only continued his exam, "He's been roughed up. Few bruised ribs, black eye, numerous scrapes and bruises, bloodied knuckles and a hand that will need some tending to. But, he won't die."

Relieved, she sat on the opposite side of the bed and brushed a lock of blonde hair out of his face.

"With you beside him, he'll heal faster." The doctor told her, smiling. His soft, blue eyes twinkling as he watched her look over him.

"He better." She muttered, returning his smile with a small one as she watched Blink's eyes move beneath the lids.

"Why do you even care?" Mush grumbled, leaning on the door frame and watching her.

She narrowed her eyes, "Because he stayed with me when I needed him."

"And then you ran away from him at the first opportunity." He spat back, brown eyes blazing.

"I thought I was just another conquest! Can you blame me?"

That stumped Mush and he grew quiet as she turned away from him to watch as the doctor stitched up a particularly deep gash on his cheek. Silently, he handed her a roll of bandages and she slowly wrapped Blink's left hand. After it was wrapped, she placed a light kiss across his knuckles and moved to clean up the grime from his face after the doctor handed her a bowl of warm water.

Together, they cleaned him up but still, he slept. The doctor bid them a good evening and left, saying he was only resting, that it wasn't anything serious. Mush left a little while later and she wanted to be satisfied she'd scared him away, but then he came back with one of the silver carts full of food and silently handed her a plate. She barely tasted it, she was so hungry. She consumed whatever it was and found herself looking sadly down at an empty plate.

Mush chuckled, handing her another plate of food and she gave him a small smile. This one she ate much slower, and enjoyed with a glass of water that Mush passed to her. She practically drank it in one gulp.

When she was too full, he took the plate and glass from her and pointed to a door to the right, "Go through there and get cleaned up. We put some clothes in there for ya ta change inta."

She gazed up at him in surprise, "Thank you." Biting her lip, she glanced over at Blink but turned back to Mush as he nudged her.

"Go on. He'll be fine till you get back." This Mush, this was the man she remembered. Gentle and kind.

Nodding to him, she went to the bathroom and found it to be gloriously high tech. Hot water, soap, and bubbles. She had never been so pampered before in her life. The water was so wonderful she almost fell asleep in the tub. Sighing, she forced herself to get out, dried herself off on the soft robe that hung on the back of the door and looked to the clothes they had left for her. Shocked, she picked up the nightgown that was made of the softest cotton she had ever felt, fingering the embroidery along every edge, delicate looking green ivy stitched with a perfect hand. Below it was a simple day dress, undergarments, and even a wrapper.

All of the clothes, including the undergarments, were made of such rich material. She felt a little uncomfortable wearing clothes that were clearly expensive, but she tried not to look a gift horse in the mouth as she quickly got dressed.

She cracked the door open but heard voices and stopped a moment to listen.

"…so help me, Blink, if you'd have died for some woman that don't love ya back-"

"You'd have gone ta hell ta kick my ass." Blink finished, chuckling.

"Yeah." Mush added, but sighed, "She should be out soon. I'll give you two some space to tawk."

"Thanks, man." Blink murmured. She listened as Mush's footsteps receded and then jumped as he yelled out, "Stop eavesdropping and come out here."

Blushing, she exited the bathroom and stopped just inside to stare at him. He was obviously awake, his blue eyes bright and alert, and he gazed at her with that same look he always had, even the day he'd met her.

As if he just saw the most beautiful thing.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, crossing back over to the bed but hesitating before sitting.

He reached his hand out for hers and she slid her fingers in it, making sure it wasn't the hand that had been stepped on, "Bettah now that you're here."

She searched for words but couldn't seem to find them, "Thomas…"

"Shh." He said, pulling her hand gently so she would scoot across the bed, "Ya don't have to say anything tonight, just stay with me?" He looked as exhausted as she felt, but there was a sparkle of hope in those ocean blue eyes that made her heart ache.

"It's improper." She told him, but found herself yawning and snuggling up next to him anyway.

"No one expects me to be proper." He told her, kissing her on top of her head. She smiled at the smile in his voice and let the sound of his steady heart beat under her ear lull her to sleep.

* * *

Their love came in the middle of the night, much as it had the first time. Katherine searched for his lips, letting them light and stoke the fire in her, but unwilling to allow him the upper hand this time. She took care to keep things gentle, avoiding hurting him anymore than he needed to be.

In the morning, she rolled over and felt a wave of sadness when she found his side of the bed empty.

Until the door to the bathing room opened and he stood there, smiling crookedly at her. She held her arms out and he joined her instantly, wrapping his arms around her and holding her as they fell back to sleep.

They would have stayed like that forever, she was sure, but all too soon reality came crashing down around them in the form of Mush Meyers knocking on their door, "Awright, Kid. Time ta leave the bed."

"I don't want to." Blink yelled out to him, arms tightening around her as he buried his face into her hair.

"They'se think ya kidnapped Katherine." Mush replied.

"Who?"

"Her three bruddahs that are in the lobby lookin' like they'se goin' ta tear the place down."

 **A/N: Dudes. I just couldn't stop writing this evening. So, enjoy TWO updates today and drop me a review! :D**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	15. Ever After

Chapter Fourteen

" _I could be your perfect disaster, you could be my Ever After."_

-Ever After by Marianas Trench

 _ **August 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

Katherine pulled away from him at Mush's words and Blink wanted to throw something at his best friend for the interruption, but the door protected him. He watched her as she went into the water closet and came out only a few minutes later, dressed in a flowing, light blue day gown as she twisted her hair up out of her face.

He could watch her do anything and it would be a beautiful sight, he thought, as he sat up on the bed. She hurried over to place her hands on his shoulder, "You fought six men for Beth, let me fight these three for you." She told him, her brown eyes such a soft caramel color today that he wished he could spend the day getting lost in them.

Grabbing her hand, he lightly kissed it as he told her, "I didn't fight six men foah Beth, I fought them all foah you."

He watched in fascination as his words visibly softened her and she dipped her head down to kiss him. Groaning, he pulled her back down on the bed so she was laying on top of him. "Thomas!" She murmured against his lips, "I'm afraid I'm going to hurt you."

"Hurt me all ya want, baby." He told her, biting back another groan as she wiggled her hips on top of him.

Reaching up, he undid the twist in her hair and let it fall around them as a curtain of mahogany brown silk. She laughed, "You're so bad."

"Blink!" Mush's yell from the other room was too late as the bedroom door was thrown open and two very angry brothers stood there. Brendon was just beyond, not looking angry, but not looking too happy about their current position, either. Mush behind all three with his arms crossed looking like a bodyguard, Blink's savior in case this situation turned bad.

"Aye, I'm killin' this dosser." The oldest looking brother murmured darkly.

Katherine sprang up, but Blink got up just as quickly and put himself between her and her siblings. "Boys, let's just settle down and have a nice tawk." Blink told them, holding his bandaged hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"Looks like someone already tried." The second brother said to the older one.

Blink didn't know which brother was Patrick and which one was Sean and he wondered if he was going to live to find out.

"Stop it right this second." Katy had moved beside him and was glaring at her brothers in such a furious, indignant way it brought back memories of the year he'd relentlessly chased after her.

All three brothers stared at her, looking almost frightened. Blink would have laughed if his life wasn't on the line.

"You three do _not_ get to come in here acting like my guardians, when it was you three who bet Michael that he couldn't make me fall in love with him." All three sucked their breaths in and suddenly looked uncomfortable and ashamed. Blink felt anger swell at the unknown male, but bit it back as she continued, "Yes, that's right. I know all about it! And if you think for one second I'm going to let you bully the man I _actually_ love then you're out of your minds! Now, out!"

"Jesus, Kat, we just wanted ta make sure you were alive. Didn't have to go all Ma on us." The seemingly funny brother muttered to her, but they all left the room and shut the door quietly behind them.

Blink stared over at her, mouth hanging open as she folded her arms and smiled in self-satisfaction. "That was easy enough." She told him, turning to look at him with a big smile. Which promptly dropped as she took in his face, "What?"

He closed his mouth as he felt a slow grin pull across his face, "You told them you love me."

A dawning look of horror filled her face as a blush rose in her cheeks and she stammered, "I..I didn't mean…I b-barely know you, I don't l-love…" She trailed off, uncrossing her arms and covering her face.

Slowly, he pulled her hands from her face, "Hey, _hey_. Katy. It's awright, I'll pretend I didn't hear that part."

"Oh, _could_ you?" She all but wailed, looking up at him, "I mean, it's much too soon and I've never seen any man run faster than when a woman says 'I love you' first…"

He couldn't help it, "But, it's true?"

Sighing, looking defeated and ready for him to run, she nodded, "Yes, it's true."

Blink would have whooped in the air if he hadn't just been in a fight with six men. "Ya really think saying it will make me drop everything and run?" He asked her, but in his heart he knew she believed it. He had been awake enough to hear Mush ask her why she cared. Had heard her answer to silence him; _she believed she was just another conquest_. He could see she'd stuck around this long because she hoped she was more, but that fear was still there. Plain on her face.

It almost broke his heart. "Katy." He said, before she could answer his question, "I didn't fight my past and six men just ta run now. I didn't spend a year chasing ya just to let you go. I think some part of me always knew you were the one. And if all I gotta do now is convince you, I'm ready foah that."

"Really?" Her brown eyes had lit up at his words, but she still looked hesitant.

"Yeah. Take a risk. Ya might find out it's what ya been waiting foah." He winked at her as he reiterated his words from Race and Clara's engagement party.

She laughed, "I'm surprised you'd use those words again. The last time you got slapped."

He slipped a hand into her hair to cup the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss, stopping right before their lips met, "I got slapped for a kiss, not the words."

She didn't slap him when he kissed her this time. He marveled at the way she melted against him now, enjoying the feel of her and her intoxicating scent. He broke away from her as a thought occurred, "Who's Michael?"

Blushing, she shrugged as she fingered a bandage on his cheek and then met his gaze, "The mismanager I spoke of. Wooed me on a bet with my brothers and left me high and dry after he got what he wanted."

Blink's arms tightened around him before he let her go and grabbed for a shirt, "What's his last name? MUSH!" He yelled.

Mush opened the door at once, "Yeah?"

"C'mon, we gotta go see Carlos about tracking down a piece of scum."

Katherine's laughter stopped both of them and Blink scowled, "What?"

She crossed the room to wrap her arms around him, "You don't have to do all that. It's been a few years." Pausing, she bit her lip and pushed his shoulder lightly with her hand as she joked, "And isn't it the pot calling the kettle black if you go after a guy who did the same thing to me that you did to countless others?"

Blink rolled his eyes, "Am I evah gonna live that down?" He asked, shooting a glare a Mush who was howling with laughter.

Katherine shrugged, "Maybe, if you stick to one woman for a while."

"Only if that woman's you." He told her, sincerely.

Sniffles to Blink's left had him turning to raise an eyebrow at Mush, who looked on the verge of tears, "That was very romantic." He said, then noticed the couple staring at him and turned to leave, "I'll let myself out."

Shaking his head, Blink turned to look at Katherine, "So, where were we befoah ya brothahs so rudely interrupted?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Katherine laughed, the sound mystifying Blink for a second until she pushed him back onto the bed and then gingerly crawled ontop of him. "I think it was here." She murmured, but a nice rosy blush crept up her cheeks as she realized how forward she had been.

"Saucy minx." He told her, laughing, as he brought her lips down to his.

* * *

"Did they make up?" David asked, taking in Mush's silly grin as he came out of the room Blink and Katherine were in.

Mush smiled at David, "Ya...can ya believe it, Dave? Blink. In Love." He shook his head before nudging David, "You're next right, Davey?"

David rolled his eyes, "Not likely, Mush."

"Why not?" Mush asked, curious. He had never really thought about the fact that he'd never seen David with any woman in a romantic sense. No woman ever attended the few social gatherings he attended. Race joked that the hotel was his mistress.

Avoiding Mush's eyes, David shrugged and moved to go to his office just as Greg yelled from the front desk, "David? I got a man here claiming he's looking for a hotel for the entire Imperial Russian Ballet to stay at. For two months."

Sighing, David nodded to Mush before going to talk to the man about a potential business deal. Mush watched him, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to remember a time David had ever shown interest in a woman. There had been one girl, one time when they were newsies, that David had started to tell Mush about. But, then Blink had interrupted about some conquest of his own and Mush had never turned the conversation back to it. What had David called her? It was something with an 'M'.

Mush felt a wave of disappointment as he failed to recall the name, and he turned to leave work and head home. Had he been a bad friend because he never asking David about his personal life? Maybe he should try to find someone for the guy. He needed something more in his life than the hotel.

 **A/N: Setting up for the next story, guys! I'm so excited! But, we still have an Epilogue left! Then, onward to David's story! I'm excited :D Tell me how you liked Katy and Blink's little romance scene! My precious blueberries! All grown up and in love! Cuties. Please drop me a review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	16. And So It Goes

Chapter Fifteen

" _So I would choose to be with you, as if the choice were mine to make. But you can make decisions, too, and you can have this heart to break."_

-And So It Goes (Cover) by Marianas Trench (Original by Billy Joel)

 _ **January 1906, Chicago**_

He'd met her in the dead of winter, before he was even aware that his soul had been growing colder with each passing year. Every assignment he took, every person he led some ruthless, greedy bastard to, or every dirty job he did for quick cash was beginning to weigh on him in a way that made him wonder if he'd ever get some sort of chance at redemption.

As he watched Race and Clara enter 428 Holden Court, he was unaware of the sudden shift his life was about to take. He did not know that in just a few short minutes, he would meet his redemption, his very heart and soul. Did not even realize at the time that his decision to be kind, to offer comfort to a crying girl, would forever alter him.

However, as he watched the front door open, watched as she quickly hurried down the steps and into the alley beside the building where she pressed herself against the wall before covering her face and letting out the most heart wrenching sob, something inside Carlos Fuentes shifted. Somewhere in his soul, a tiny bud of something saw her and blossomed. A strange sympathy overcame him, forcing him to cross the street, to approach a stranger and offer them a kindness he was never offered in his life, "Querida, are you alright?" He asked, keeping his distance so as not to startle her, but holding out his hanky in case that was all she needed.

She dropped her hands from her face, gazing up at him with large, watery green eyes that would forever be in both his heart and mind, until she startled him by throwing herself into his arms.

He would always wonder what she saw in him, what she saw in his face and eyes that allowed her to trust him enough to throw her vulnerable self at him. To let him hold her as her body shook in grief and his coat soaked up her tears. Awkwardly, he put his arms around her and patted her head as he murmured, "Shhh." Because that's what he remembered his mother doing when he cried as a child.

As her crying began to subside and she began to hiccup, she pulled away to once again gaze up at him, "I'm sorry." She said, reaching up to brush the tears from her face.

He found himself stopping her hand so that he could use his hanky to wipe away her tears, "No te disculpes. Do not apologize. I heard once that pretty women should never have a reason to cry."

A becoming blush rose to her cheeks, "It's a very stupid reason." She told him.

He shook his head, "No reason to cry is ever stupid."

She smiled so sweetly at him, his breath caught for a second. He had never seen anyone more achingly lovely than her and he wished with everything he was that she might stay in his life. But, that was a fool's wish because he lived in another city and really, there was nothing of him worth loving. Nothing in him that was worthy of her.

"My name's Sophie Thomas."

At hearing her name, he felt as though it were fate. Hadn't he used Tomás, the Spanish equivalent of Thomas, as his alias during this trip? What were the chances of that happening?

"Carlos Fuentes." He told her, a little breathlessly as she gazed up at him with eyes so wide and open he could feel the very heat of her sunny soul shining on him. It fed the little bud of hope in his soul that had blossomed, "I…uh, are you going to be alright?" He asked, breaking the silence.

She smiled even wider at his flustered words, "Yes, now that you've been so kind to me."

"Well, I'm not kind to many so consider yourself special, querida." He could have kicked himself for letting those dry humored words out, completely embarrassed that he'd pretty much laid his heart on the sidewalk for her to stomp on.

"What does that mean?" She asked, tilting her head at his Spanish word.

He blushed, "Uh, i-it means my darling."

Instead of being angered by a stranger using such an endearment, she beamed up at him, "Do you live around here?"

The one question he wished he didn't have to answer, "Uh, no. I'm in town visiting a relative." His first lie, he would keep track of them and one day tell her all the truths because he did not want to build whatever this was on lies.

"Oh." She clearly looked disappointed that he didn't live in Chicago, "Where are you from?" She asked, halfheartedly.

"New York City." He told her, glad he didn't need to lie for that one.

Her green eyes brightened, "New York? Oh, I'd love to go there one day. I've heard so many amazing stories..." They dimmed as she glanced up at the building they were next to, "I live here." She motioned to the brick structure.

"It's a very nice building." He told her, trying to make her smile again.

Shrugging, she leaned against the wall and cocked her head as she studied him, "You have nice eyes." She told him.

He felt heat rise in his cheeks at the complement, "Gracias." He didn't have a great deal of experience with women, had been alone too long by himself to really understand these creatures, but he found himself drawn to this one.

Sophie smiled at him again, "Can I ask you something, Carlos?"

"Anything." He said, before he could think better of it.

"Will you write to me when you go back to New York? 428 Holden Court, Chicago, Illinois."

He felt a real smile pull the corners of his lips, "I'd like that very much, Señorita Sophie."

She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "It was nice to meet you. Thank you for the hanky." She waved it at him and he had never felt more like a knight in shining armor than he did at that moment. It was heady feeling, a feeling he cherished.

Carlos Fuentes, who had never believed in love at all, had just experienced love at first sight.

* * *

 _ **August 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **, 1907**_

Sophie Thomas hummed as she cleaned the apartment, frequently casting a glance towards Hazel, making sure she was still sitting at the table changing the clothes on her paper doll.

It was a surreal feeling for her. Her entire life she had just wanted a family, yet, she had always felt out of place. Even with her father, it felt as if they were just pretending to be a family. He had been a drunk, not a mean one, but a drunk nonetheless. Now, here with Jack and Hazel, she still felt out of sorts. The year and a half Jack had lived here with Hazel and Race had made them a family, and with the absence of Race now, they had easily slid into their own happy, tiny family.

Sophie sighed. The only place she had truly felt home…had been with him. She couldn't even think his name without wanting to curl up in a ball and sob at the horrible ending of whatever they had been.

It had felt like so much more to her. But, he had lied and purposely driven her away. In the end, he hadn't truly cared about her feelings.

Sophie balled up the rag, pausing in her cleaning as she got lost in her memories. She would not live in a home she was not wanted, not for another nineteen years of her life. She was tired of looking for a home, looking for people who wanted her. All she had ever craved was to mean something to someone.

A picture of his face pushed its way to the forefront of her mind, when he had come home after Race's real wedding-he hadn't actually been married when she met him in Chicago, a blow that had stunned her for a second longer than _he_ liked and put him in a cruel mood. His expression had been closed off and cool, like the calm before a storm.

 _"Do you want to know where I was, querida?"_ _He inquired, his blue eyes icy in a warm, tanned face._

 _She had smiled at his familiar endearment and tried to warm those eyes up a little bit, "Like you ever tell me, anyway." She joked, kissing his cheek to welcome him home. She caught a whiff of alcohol on her breath and she paused because it was unlike him to drink. She should have known by that alone that he was in a self-destructive mood._

 _"I was at Race's wedding."_

 _That had stopped her in her tracks, causing her to repeat the words in her head as she tried to understand what he was saying, "Race's…"_

 _"Wedding." He finished, calculating blues watching her. She used to admire his ability to pick up on every single emotion she had, after this moment she would learn why she should loathe it._

 _"Wasn't he already…"_

 _"Married?" He always did that, finishing words when she was taking time to find the right ones. Why did he always have exactly what she needed? "No." He added after a moment._

 _Turning her eyes on him, she felt the floor tilt a bit, "But, he said…and you never told me…" She sat on the closest chair, "You lied to me?" She asked, her mind finally catching on to the important detail._

 _He looked surprised for a second, like he hadn't expected her to grab on that, "I lied about a lot of things, se_ _ñ_ _orita."_

 _Her stomach dropped, remembering their first meeting in Chicago, when he had seen her sobbing about Racetrack being married and offered his light blue hanky for her to wipe her tears. He had told her that pretty women should never have a reason to cry._

 _So, why was he breaking her heart? "What did you lie about?" She asked, wondering if he was going to tell her he didn't love her, that he regretted sending her the ticket and money to come here, that he didn't feel for her the way she so obviously felt for him._

 _"You think I'm some type of Private Investigator for the Bulls, s_ _í_ _?" He asked, tossing his hat off and proceeding to pace around the apartment, "But, I'm not."_

 _Warily, she watched him, trying to figure out what was happening, why was her sky falling right now? What had triggered this?_

 _"I'm a skip tracer. The worst sort of hombre. I lurk in shadows and find people for the bad guys, not the good guys." Running a hand through his black hair, he ground his teeth as he cast her a cold look, "Why did you cry because Race was married? Did you love him just from what his friend told you?"_

 _Why was he focused on this? She knew she hadn't loved Race, had loved the idea of him, someone who was funny, kind, and steadfast. But, the best part of Racetrack Higgins was that he had led her right here to this man, who was all those things and more. He just didn't see it for himself._

 _"I cried because I was in love with the idea of him, Carlos. I cried because I hoped too much for something that was killed by crushing disappointment that left me breathless and all alone…but, then you showed up."_

 _His face had been tightly controlled, but her words softened him just a touch for a split moment. It disappeared as he told her, "I wasn't in Chicago visiting a relative. I was there watching Race and Clara. Clara's brother owed a lot of money to a mal hombre who hired me to make sure they weren't skipping out on him."_

 _"Why are you confessing all your lies now?" She asked, angry with this side of him._

 _He didn't answer right away, only put his hands in his pockets and glared at her until he opened his mouth, "You need to know the monster you live with, chica ingenua."_

 _She used to love when he spoke Spanish because she knew he only did it when he felt comfortable around someone. You would never catch him speaking like that around strangers or in public. "What does that mean?" She asked, unable to dispute that he was not a monster because of the sudden truth that he'd been lying to her this whole time._

 _"Naïve girl. You know nothing of the world. You took a ticket from a man you met once and jumped on a train to come live with him, not even aware you were coming to live right in the den of the dragon, princesa."_

 _Sophie had been furious at how he viewed her. She might be naïve, but she had seen the worst parts of people before and still she had faith and hope there was goodness. That didn't make her stupid, she knew the risk with Carlos when she had accepted his offer. But, she knew what he did not believe; that he had gone through hell and had still come out a good man._

 _But she didn't know how to convince him of it._

 _And then he said words that had made her think twice about staying, that had sent shivers to her core at the coldness of his words and made her doubt her feelings because who could love someone when they spoke so callously of themself? "You came here looking for a family and all you found was me._ Nothing _." With that word lingering in the air, he turned and fled from her._

She pushed away her memories that were too fresh for her to analyze so soon after the event. Once again she had faced crushing disappointment, this time with Carlos. The culmination of his insecurity, the inability to accept that she _did_ love him, and his lies, they had been too much for her. She had waited for him to come back, to see if they could fix it, but he hadn't. She decided as the silence of the apartment almost drove her crazy that she could not stay here. At least not until he could talk to her. So, she had packed her things and left.

Left the only place that had been home.

Lucky for her there was at least one person in this city she knew. After Jack had left her in Chicago, he'd sent her one or two letters to tell her he was safe, that he had gotten Hazel, and she still had the letters with his return address. A year in this city and she hadn't explored enough of it to know the different parts of it but all she had to do was give the address to a man driving a carriage and he had taken her right here.

It had only been five days but they were the longest of her life. She missed him so much…

Angrily, she pulled her thoughts away from him again and moved to clean the windows, grabbing a page of an old newspaper to ball up and the bottle of vinegar.

Just as she raised her hand to clean the window, she caught sight of the paper tucked in the windowsill. Curious, she set down the bottle and reached for it, noticing as she pulled it out her familiar handwriting.

 _My Dearest Carlos…_

She read the letter she had written to him nearly a year ago, her hands trembling slightly at the worn paper that showed he had kept it with him for a long time, the folds of it soft to translate the number of times he had read it. Her heart swelled with the proof that he cared for her enough to treasure her words…but why was it tucked in the window?

Had Carlos been here? He was a skip tracer, a term she hadn't been familiar with when they had argued, but one Jack had elaborated on when she had asked. Carlos was sure to have found her; given the small number of people she knew here. So, why hadn't he confronted her? Why hadn't he fought for her?

She started to fold the letter and realized there was more words on the back. Flipping it over, she gasped audibly as she saw it was Carlos' handwriting.

 _Querida,_

 _I was going to fight for you. Had every intention of coming here, pounding on that door, telling you how you are my world, my coraz_ _ó_ _n, the only thing that makes me good…but, then I saw this family through the window and realized what will make me a good person is to let you go. Give you what you always wanted, even if it meant giving you up._

 _I'm sorry for that fight. I watched Race marry the woman of his dreams and I remember you crying over him…I don't know what came over me. I stopped for a drink and I was consumed by these feelings of insecurity and I fucked everything up and pushed you away for something that was in the past because it was better if I pushed you away before you knew the truth of what a monster I am._

 _Those are only excuses. Please forgive me, please move on and be happy. I never meant to hurt you or lie to you. It started out as one lie in Chicago and then they snowballed the more you wanted to know me and I couldn't bare for you to know the true villain I am. Not when you looked at me the way you did._

 _I'll leave you to your happiness, querida._

 _Amo siempre,_

 _Carlos_

When Jack came home, he stopped just in the doorway at the sight of her standing there, bags packed and looking anxious.

"Whatsamattah?" He asked, concerned.

She handed him his spare key and kissed the cheek that was scarred, "Thank you, Jack, for your hospitality. But, I have to get home."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, brown eyes scrutinizing her face, "To Carlos?"

Giving him a bittersweet smile, she nodded, "He left me a letter and…I have to fight for him."

Jack nodded, "Everyone needs someone who will fight for them." He told her seriously, and she wondered if he was thinking of Hazel's mother, the woman he hadn't fought to keep. She wondered if he would fight fire to keep the next woman who made him feel even a modicum of what Lily had made him feel. "And look, if you want a job, if things work out or they don't, I could always use someone ta look aftah Hazel when I'm at work." He offered.

She smiled, her eyes moving over to Hazel, who was pouting because she was leaving. "I'll talk it over with Carlos. I'm going to make things work, Jack." Hugging Hazel and then Jack, Sophie set out as the sun began to set.

The sky rumbled with thunder a few blocks from home, and she hurried her steps, but didn't get very far before the sky opened up and let loose a downpour that had her soaked in seconds. She shivered as the storm cooled off the summer heat and seeped through her thin dress, hoping she wasn't going to make a fool of herself by putting her heart on the line.

She stood dripping in front of his door for two solid minutes before she raised her fist and knocked. No noise or movement was heard from inside the apartment and she sighed and leaned her forehead against the door, disappointment causing her shoulders to sag. Carlos had always kept strange hours, sometimes not coming home until the middle of the night…Sighing, she turned her back to the door and gently slid down it to wait.

* * *

"Thanks, amigo." Carlos slurred as Brendon hauled him up the stairs of his apartment building.

Brendon half smiled at Carlos' Spanish that was apparently much more apparent and utilized when the man went on a bash, "Think nothing of it. At least ya got me out of the house. I don't know how I'm going to get used to living with my father-in-law."

"That bad?"

Brendon nodded, breath coming out in puffs as they reached the second floor, but he managed to elaborate, "He's gotta be sick and twisted. Thinks the world of Beth since she pulled the gang out from under him, and now that he knows she's pregnant? All he can tawk about is his grandchild. He keeps saying, ''e's gonna be a boy and 'e's gonna have all the steeliness of Beth, and my leadahship.' Like I didn't have any hand in makin' that baby."

His drunk Spanish friend laughed at his Barkers impersonation, unbelieving that after everything, Beth went and took her father in…secretly, of course. She didn't want her new gang to know she had a soft spot for her father. Carlos shook his head, but didn't know what to say to his friend.

"Four floors, seriously?" Brendon panted.

Carlos chuckled, "Whose enemy would climb four floors to kill him?"

Brendon snorted and opened his mouth to reply but looked up in time to see a person sitting in front of Carlos' apartment door, "What woman would climb four floors for you, Carlos?" He asked, half joking and half worried as he halted them in the middle of the hallway.

Carlos, who had been keeping a drunk eye on the placement of his feet, let out another laugh, "No señoritas here…" Brendon passed a side glance to his friend as Carlos trailed off because he, too, had spotted her.

She rose slowly from the floor, her hand brushing the handle of her small traveling case as she got up. She was of average height, blonde hair, and green eyes bright with curiosity. The two men watched as she smoothed out her wet dress and met Carlos's gaze. Brendon looked between the two of them, their eyes caught up in each other to the point he might as well have been invisible.

Carlos glanced over at Brendon as he straightened and pulled away from him, finding balance on his own two feet in a way Brendon almost couldn't believe given how much alcohol the Spaniard consumed just a short time ago. Brendon met his eyes as he asked, "You gonna be awright if I skidoo?"

He responded with an absent nod as he focused his attention on the woman. His flagged brain trying to catch up to the scene in front of him. Was it really her or was his addled mind casting out hallucinations of things that would never really happen? But, Brendon saw her in his sober state, was already leaving as Carlos continued to stare at the one person he hadn't been expecting.

"Querida." He murmured, finally, unable to stand the silence any longer.

Her green eyes lit up at the familiar endearment and she abandoned her suitcase as she cut the distance between them, "Carlos, are you alright?" She asked, the concern on her face leaving him breathless.

"I don't know." He said, honestly, "Are you real?"

"Am I…" She paused, looking at him in surprise, "Yes, of course."

He couldn't help it, he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes as he inhaled her familiar scent. His Sophie had always loved the smell of mint, had used mint oils in all her soap bars and as a perfume, and sure enough the crisp smell of mint filled his senses, "Then yes, I'm alright, mi amor." He told her, eyes still closed in case he opened them and this turned out to be another dream.

She reached up and cupped his face with soft hands, gently pushing his head from hers and he opened his eyes to look into those expressive, jade eyes that had haunted him from the moment they had looked up at him filled with tears. "Are you drunk?" She inquired, apprehension on her face.

He remembered the last time he had drank, how he had started that fight that had sent her away, and he felt anxious at the thought of her leaving again. Wrapping his hands around hers, he hoped she saw the pleading in his eyes as he told her, "No! Well, yes, querida, but I'm not picking a fight with you. Cariña, mi amor, lo siento. Por favor, no siempre me envía de nuevo en la oscuridad …"

"Carlos, as sweet as that sounds, I don't know what it means." She whispered to him.

He kissed her hands, letting one go so he could cup her cheek and sighed the words to her in English, " _My sweet, my love, I'm sorry. Please, do not ever send me back into the darkness."_

His words soothed away the apprehension on her face, softening her as she leaned her cheek into his hands, "Mmm, I guess if alcohol makes you speak such sweet things, I might be alright with one glass a night." She smiled at him, her green eyes glowing.

Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her neck and ear before speaking Spanish once more, "No me dejes nunca, eres mi corazón y el alma. El infierno es cualquier lugar sin ti, querida, y no quiero pasar una segunda parte de ti nunca más." _Do not ever leave me, you are my very heart and soul. Hell is any place without you, my dear, and I do not want to spend a second a part from you ever again._

She sighed against him, soaking up this moment of pure happiness at his sweet words, reveling in the feel of him once more in her arms, "You keep that up and you'll never get rid of me."

"I _never_ want to get rid of you." He told her. "Are you here because you want to stay with me?"

Sophie pulled back to look him directly in the eye, "On one condition, Carlos Alejandro Fuentes."

"Anything." He replied at once.

Softening once again, she told him firmly, "Don't you ever lie to me again."

"I will never lie again. Palabra de honor, on my honor." He told her, his blue eyes serious, "I hate that soup you make with the celery, I drank half a bottle of tequila tonight, and I hated coming to this apartment without you here. It was no longer home."

Sophie sighed as he listed off a few truths, "Alright, I think we can make this work. But, if you think I'm never making celery soup again, you got another thing coming, Fuentes."

He groaned, but leaned his head against hers, "Prométeme que te quedarás. Promete que me amas y serás amable con mi corazón."

"In English, love." She murmured, before lightly kissing his lips.

"Promise you'll stay. Promise you love me and will be gentle with my heart." He told her, before adding, "I promise I will stay, that I will always love you, and I will never be anything but gentle with your heart."

"I promise I love you, and I'll stay so long as you never tell me that you are nothing. Because, Carlos, you are my home." She told him, never more serious.

He reached into his pocket and then slid something cool onto her finger, "I bought this a while ago and every time I went to give it to you my lies, my demonios, held me back. Por favor, honor me by wearing it, querida."

"Of course." She told him and then she looked down and gasped at the cluster of four teardrop jade stones on a gold band. "Oh, Carlos this is too much."

"Nothing is demasiado for my girl. I love you, Sophie." He told her, smiling.

"I love you, too, Carlos." She told him.

Carlos stared at her, mystified, wondering how she could love the villain. "Sophie, I did something while you were gone. Might I show you it?"

She gave him a perplexed smile, but nodded as he took her hand and lead her back down the four flights of stairs and to the building next door that housed different businesses. They passed a lawyer's office and an accountant's office before they reached the third one. "This is it."

"You rented an office? For what?"

He grinned at her, "I'm turning one of my lies into a truth, Sophie. I'm going to be a Private Investigator for the cops. Well, at least one of the bulls is a friend of mine. With a little time and some cases solved, I should be the go-to guy for finding people and information."

"Really? That's amazing, Carlos!" She hugged him and then pulled back to meet his eyes and tell him excitadly, "We could get your name on the door and maybe set up one of those telephones."

Her eyes sparkled up at him, the look of adoration shining on his soul like the sun. The darkness that had crept in since he left that note telling her goodbye scampered off and he felt, for the first time in his life, like a hero. The good guy.

Because Sophie believed him to be the good man and that was all he needed.

 **A/N: 10 pages, guys. And I was still adding things at the last minute! Ugh, this was probably my favorite chapter to write. These two, my hearts. Alright, I'll quite rambling and go start writing David's ;) I don't even have a title, yet! Ah! Hopefully, inspiration will strike!**

 **Please review!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


	17. End Of An Era

Epilogue

" _I'm so afraid of trying something new, 'cause every start begins with saying goodbye to you…"_ – End of an Era by Marianas Trench

 **August 28** **th** **, 1907**

"Are you ready to hear this?" Katherine whispered to him before they knocked on the door that had _419_ in worn, brass numbers.

Blink felt a half-smile pull at the corner of his mouth at her obvious worry for him and he slipped his hand into hers. "It'll be awright, Katy." He murmured to her, raising his fist to knock as she gently squeezed his hand. A month ago, he would have never imagined that Katherine Finnegan would be all his, never imagine she would show him anything even close to affection.

But, here they were. He met her soft brown eyes and smiled before stealing a quick kiss before anyone answered the door.

Brendon opened it wearing an apron and stirring a bowl of batter. His face lit up at the sight of them, "Good evening, fine people." He said, jovially and Blink couldn't suppress an answering grin. Of Katherine's three brothers, Brendon was the only one he currently got along with. But, the more time he spent with the guy, the more he became aware of how hard it was for anyone _not_ to get along with Brendon.

Even Carlos Fuentes liked him and Blink didn't think that guy liked anyone.

"Hello!" Katherine greeted, stepping into the apartment to give her brother a half hug because of the bowl in his hand, "Aprons look good on you." She commented, turning to greet Beth. The blind woman's mass of dark, curly hair was contained in a tight braid that hung down her back and her face was bright and happier than Blink had seen in a long time.

"Better on him than me." Beth replied, as Katherine pulled her in for a hug. "I'm all but useless in a kitchen." She added, as Blink laughed and hugged her. He patted her head and shook hands with Brendon.

"I can never forget those muffins you tried to make in the kitchen of Keenan's bar. I think one chipped my tooth." Blink agreed, smiling at the memory as he winked at Katherine over Beth's head.

Beth scowled, "Better hope _I_ don't break any of your teeth tonight." She threatened, moving around him to stand beside Brendon as if she wasn't blind. "When will dinner be ready, dear?"

"Few more minutes." Brendon grunted, pouring the bowl of batter into a pan, eyebrows knit in concentration.

Blink tossed an arm around Katherine, "We should discuss what Beth and Brendon got going on here. I like this idea of you working while I stay at home, cooking and taking care of the children." He stage whispered into her ear, gesturing to the scene before them.

"What children?" Katherine asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked up at him.

He realized, too late, his mistake. "I mean, uh, not children. Uh, more like a plant. Yeah, yeah. We could raise a plant in one of those…" He waved his arm in a circle, "…planters…and it wouldn't be at all commitment-y…" He trailed off and moved over next to Brendon, "What can I help ya with, buddy?"

Brendon grunted at Blink, but reached up to bring down the dishes, "Set the table."

Beth moved to stand beside Katherine and bumped her gently with her hip, "He wasn't always so fearful of commitment." She murmured, lowly, but Blink heard it under the din of the dishes he placed at the table.

"No?" Katherine asked, surprise in her voice.

Beth shook her head, an amused expression on her face as she raised her voice deliberately for Blink to hear, "He saved a baby kitten when he was younger. That was the biggest commitment I've ever seen him take on."

Blink rolled his eyes as he remembered the white and tortoise-colored cat, "Please, don't tell Katy what happened ta that cat. She'll run screaming from this apartment." He had saved it from the neighborhood bully who had been flinging the entire litter-one at a time-into the river. There had only been one left when Blink had confronted the kid and saved the cat. He'd named the cat Chuck, on account of he _hadn't_ been chucked into the river, and had lovingly fed and raised the cat until shortly before his father died. The death of the cat, horrific as it was by the butt of a gang member, had upset Blink greatly and was only overshadowed by his father's death.

The Bronx gang leader's brows furrowed in trepidation as she recalled what happened to the cat and then a sheepish look crossed her face, "Oh. Yeah. Forgot about that."

Katherine passed a perplexed and concerned look to Blink, her whiskey, brown eyes alive with worry at the demise of the cat and he just shook his head at her solemnly. "I dunno how you could forget a thing like that." He told Beth, who simply shrugged. _She_ hadn't seen the scene, so she couldn't exactly empathize with him on the matter. Sometimes, being blind wasn't so bad.

Thinking about the cat and his father sobered him up, reminding him why he'd asked Katy to set up this dinner and he pulled out a chair and sat down. He watched as Beth and Brendon fussed together, Brendon over the food and Beth over Brendon. Even though they had only been married about a month, they seemed comfortable with each other and they treated the other as though they were as precious as gold. Blink found himself smiling, his eyes searching for Katy, who was just off to the left of them, flipping through the recipe book Brendon had been looking at earlier. When she felt his gaze on her, she glanced up and smiled at him.

It still kicked his heart and flipped his stomach over with butterflies when she looked at him like that. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she would always elicit such feelings. Knight men, as his father had told him one time-and one time only-found their soulmates and never got over them. Even when she left.

Part of him was still scared he'd wake up one morning and Katy would be gone. Had felt the panic of it just last week, but when he had searched the apartment for her, he found her note on the kitchen counter, her curly, tiny letters so dainty as they spelled out, _Just went out to the bakery, wanted to surprise you with pastries for breakfast. I love you, xoxoKaty._ The alarm in his head had quit sounding and he had tucked the little note in his pocket, where it still resided now. Where it would always stay.

Katy approached him, the recipe book cradled in her arms, and she placed it down in front of him and leaned over his shoulder, "What about this recipe for the restaurant?" She asked, her breath tickling his ear, "Doesn't that sound good?"

Fire erupted over his body but he ignored it, aware this was not the time or place-as much as he wanted it to be. Focusing on the recipe, he found himself not really reading it, just nodding his head, "Mmm, sounds good. You know what sounds bettah?" He asked her, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her into his lap, "You."

She chuckled low in her throat, her brown eyes dancing merrily as they flickered across his face, "You're a goof." She murmured to him and he smiled before stealing a kiss.

"Hey, not at the dinnah table." Brendon muttered, breaking them apart. "And not in front of me." He grumbled, setting the food on the table. "Dinnah's ready…if I can hold mine down aftah seein' that."

His complaining heated Katy's cheeks, but Blink couldn't suppress the roguish grin that split across his face as everyone took their seats, Katy sliding from his lap to take the chair to his right as Brendon sat down across from him and Beth to his left. Brendon scowled at him in a very un-Brendon-like fashion, but he made no more comments about them as they passed around the food.

"This is delicious, Bren. I didn't know you were such a good cook." Katy told her brother, smiling at him with such sincerity his cheeks turned ruddy.

He dipped his head down, "Well, ya know. Sean and Patrick would have made fun of me."

Katy was nodding the moment the names of her other two brothers came out of Brendon's mouth and Blink raised an eyebrow at her. "Sean and Pat can be such assholes." She muttered, and he nearly choked on his mashed potatoes when she swore. He looked up to find her glaring at him defensively, "They are! Look how they bullied you when they thought you kidnapped me! And they still won't talk to you." She looked so frustrated, so bothered by the fact that her two oldest brothers didn't like him that he reached out and took her hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Hey, it's awright. I'll try harder ta get them ta like me." He gave her a lopsided grin, "Aftah all, I lived with guys most of my life. I know how ta woo 'em."

Beth chuckled at that, "You are skilled at wooing, Blink. Don't accidentally get into their pants."

He scoffed, "Like that'd evah happen. Sean and Patrick are _not_ my type." He lifted his nose into the air and smiled as Katy laughed. He passed a wink to her as he turned to Brendon, "Brendon on the othah hand…"

Brendon stiffened and glared, "Not funny." He muttered, "I don't chase skirts anymoah."

"You wouldn't have to chase me, Brennie." Blink joked, making kissy noises and reaching for Brendon's hand as the wall of a man lifted his hands out of his reach.

"Why'd ya invite him, Beth?" He groused.

Beth set down her fork, her brow furrowing, "I didn't invite him. I thought you invited Katy."

Brendon looked at Katy, " _Just_ Katy."

"He goes where I go. If you don't want to see him, don't expect to see me." Katy told Brendon firmly, her eyes narrowing on him.

To break the sudden tension, Blink cleared his throat and set down his own fork, "Actually, I asked Katy ta set this up. I needed ta tawk ta ya, Beth."

Beth's head turned to give him her full attention, though her eyes never focused on him, and she seemed to already know the reason he was there. "You want to know about your father." She said, an almost sad smile pulling at the corner of her lips, "I told you I'd tell you all about it."

"Ya did. And things have been crazy, I know. But, I can't stand not knowin' anymore." Blink told her, running a hand through his hair. He'd taken the time to heal, the scars and bruises from the fight finally gone, but the one on his heart…his father had meant the world to him. Yet, something happened…rumors that his father had betrayed Barkers and Barkers saw fit to kill him for it. They were not events you forgot or got over easily. Blink had avoided everything to do with gangs since, including the events in Brooklyn that had almost destroyed Spot Conlon. He had tried to talk Mush and Race out of going, but they hadn't listened. They had gotten front row seats to that shitshow of crazy and it was a very good possibility that they asked David for jobs at the hotel to avoid ending up in a gang run by some psycho willing to watch everyone burn in a deluded attempt to breed the next gang boss.

Katy took his hand and squeezed it lightly, pulling him from the past. He passed her a half smile, thankful to have her here. A steady rock to lean on as Beth crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair as she blindly gazed inward and prepared to tell him the truth.

"Your father did not betray mine. However, Barkers allowed the gang to believe that." She finally said, her voice a touch deeper than normal and Blink stared at her with his mouth gaping open. Since she was blind, she didn't notice and she barreled on with the story, "Do you remember a man named Karl Hoffman growing up?"

Blink chewed his bottom lips as he thought about the years growing up in the Bronx. "Yeah, vaguely. Wasn't he like third in the gang for a while?"

Beth nodded, "He came into the gang when we were seven. Spent the next four years quickly moving up…he was headed for the top. My father knew it and so did John." Suddenly, a smile blossomed over her face, "I really adored your father. Knight. It was so appropriate for you two. Your father never wanted Barker's throne, was the very definition of his surname. He only ever fought for Barkers. Every leader knows you can't buy loyalty like that." Her face fell as fast as the smile came, "I'm sorry you felt you had to run from us. He always regretted not telling you what they were up to…Do you remember that night?"

Sighing, Blink stood from the table and paced as far as he could in the tiny apartment, "I remember my fathah barely making it back to Keenan's alive, I remember waiting on the front steps for hours and then Barkers waiting with me until he showed up. He whispered something to Barkers before he reached for my hand and said 'His eyes is all I got left of her, William.' Before he died right there on the street in front of the bar like some goddamn street rat." He closed his eyes and made fists with his hands, wishing he had somewhere to direct the anger to. "Everyone had been whispering for weeks that he was betraying Barkers, had been about to overthrow him, and my father dying right in front of me while Barkers looked on with a blank face?" He hadn't realized his voice had grown in volume until he was rounding on Beth, who had stood at some point during his story.

"What was a kid supposed to think?" Beth whispered, her tone too gentle and soothing for the ruthless person he knew she really was.

Which only antagonized him more, "Exactly! What was I supposed ta think? Because what it looked like was he had my fathah killed and shoved it in a kids' face! It's not like he tried ta comfort me or explain anything."

The snort that came from Beth was loud and contemptuous, "Blink, Barkers was never the affectionate type. He's hugged me all of two times. When I woke up blind and when I told him I was pregnant." But, her face winced as she reached out and made to pat his arm but instead nearly smacked him in the face, "Sorry. What I mean is, my father would have never explained that night to you. He's a proud man who thinks he doesn't owe anything to anyone-including the truth to a boy who just watched his best friend die. _He_ had just watched his friend die."

"I don't care, Beth. I came here for the truth, not for you ta make excuses for his terrible mistakes." He hated that she was trying to justify her father's actions, that she would defend him when it wasn't her who'd lost their only parent that night and in the matter of seconds ended up lost and alone in New York after being in a gang that at one time would have killed anyone for. A gang that was the closest thing he had to a family until that point in his life.

It was why he'd taken to the newsboy life so well. It was almost exactly like that world, without the threat of it owning your entire life. Being a newsie was a choice he got to make and he was thankful every day that he got out of the Bronx and ended up on Dwayne Street.

Beth stepped back from him and nodded, "You're right. The truth is, Blink, that your father was being a double agent for mine. He was pretending to overthrow him so that he could find out who was really against the gang. Which was Karl Hoffman. But, Hoffman suspected it was a setup that night, that Barkers' men would show up and find out who was against him. Before my father's men took Hoffman down, he left John Knight with that bullet. He was always a bad shot, though, and John got back to Keenan's in time to tell Barker's it was over…" Her face was as set as she added, "It struck fear into the gang for them to see that even if his best friend betrayed him, he wouldn't hesitate to kill him, too. So, he let everyone believe the rumor."

He found himself chuckling, the sound echoing in the silent apartment and reverberating in an eerie way even to his own ears. "Of course. Always a plot with Barkers. Turn every situation to ya advantage. Just like you and that basement…" He sighed, shaking his head. The anger drained out of his bones and muscle, relief replacing it at finally knowing the truth. His father was not a coward, was loyal to a fault and it was what got him killed.

"Exactly." Beth breathed, taking another step back as Katy put herself in front of him.

"Thank you, Beth. For telling him the truth." She told the woman, her tone sincere but quickly turning to steel as she added, "But, it will be a long time before I forgive you for that little stunt."

"It got you outta that basement, didn't it?" Beth drawled lazily.

Katy's eyes narrowed, "If it had cost him his life, I'd rather stay down there and rot."

Blink bristled at that, "Hey, stop it you two. Katy, hun, it's awright. I didn't die and I chose ta fight them. I coulda just as easily walked away."

"But, he wouldn't." The new Bronx gang leader deadpanned, "Because Barker's. Had. You." She pointed a finger in the direction that she thought Katy was in but was very off the mark. "I don't make bets on uncertainties." That cocky addition made Blink roll his eyes at Katy as he slid an arm around her.

"Well, this was a nice evening, but I think we gotta be going." Blink told her and Brendon, who had been silently listening to the entire thing.

The large man stood from his chair and reached out a hand to Blink, "I didn't get the chance ta thank ya. But, thanks. I'm glad ya stood up for both my girls."

Blink shook his hand as he shook his head, "Sorry, Bren. I was only stickin' up for Katy. Be careful with this viper, she's a handful." He tilted his head in Beth's direction and they both looked to see her shrug.

"I am a making of my environment." Beth told them, a touch wisely, "But, Brendon has nothing to worry about. He's the one man in New York that has nothing to fear from me."

"For now." Blink muttered to the room, "Wait till ya got his big ol' baby comin' outta you and then tell me that."

Her face paled, as though she hadn't thought about that and Katy smothered a laugh against his shoulder as they bid them good night.

 **A/N: Started writing this for the Chronicles before I realized it's probably best here in Blink's story. Wrap up the lose ends :) I also re-arranged the chapters a bit (The timeline was nonlinear so I fixed it by moving Mush and Race's visit with Carlos!) Drop me a review if you liked this (new)ending!**

 **Truly,**

 **Joker is Poker with a J~**


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